Engel Und Tier
by HakuroNoKage
Summary: Sometimes the kindness of strangers counts for more than anyone realizes. For a lone wolf waking up without any real memories of his past it is the kindness of a stranger that truly gives him a second chance at life in a world he comes to cherish.
1. Stray

_**Okay, I was going to wait to upload this chapter, and start on this story until after I was done with Scars, but I couldn't help that this just wanted to get out of me. Inspiration for even doing this story is thanks to Striped Up by AlbineFox though this is going to be a completely different animal compared to that fun story about a wonderfully bad kitty. Now, there are going to be some recurring elements, and recycled names from Scars that will pop up here, but this is a completely unrelated story taking place in a different universe so to speak. Fear not those of you who follow what I do, Scars isn't going anywhere, and Ch.19 of Scars will be forthcoming after I finish chapter two of this story, and there still is Strife ch.2 to get done, and out at least once I'm done with the Scars 'Ulfhaven Arc'. Also a note on the title song of this chapter since that seems to be a gimmick of mine - it's the opening theme from Wolf's Rain sung by Steve Conte.**_

* * *

He woke up in a forest laying in snow, surrounded by pine trees as sunlight dappled over him through their branches. While his eyes adjusted to the light, and took in the forest around him it was the smell of the trees flooding his nostrils that sent his brain from zero to a hundred miles an hour. That wonderful pine smell was so strong in his nose as if he'd shoved a broken twig up there, but he hadn't, and it was almost confusing until other scents started to register that he couldn't place. There was a familiarness to these other smells he couldn't quite place as he wracked his brain, and it wasn't until he heard the movement, and tracked it until he could see it's cause that like gears sliding into place some part of his mind told him ' _Those are birds. What you are smelling are birds._ '

He didn't even question how he was able to smell them when they were up in the trees as he focused on this one sense, and all the information it could bring to him. It was as he was following his nose that he actually saw the appendage as his eyes finally got their intel reports delivered, and the machinery of his thought processes ground to a halt. Slowly, and tentatively he reached up a . . . ' _paw?_ ' . . . to touch first his nose then the rest of his face. That his appendage for touching things was a paw he ignored for the moment as he confirmed _'Yes, your nose is that black thing out there. No it doesn't feel any different than you're used to your nose feeling other than the coldness, and wetness. How about the rest of your face? Face? This is a muzzle.'_

If there had been anyone to witness him they surely would've had a deep laugh just watching him as he "discovered" his muzzle. First he used his . . . ' _Are they still fingers if this is a paw?_ ' he thought as he didn't hesitate to firmly touch his muzzle confirming that it was indeed a part of him. From there he touched his teeth, but when that caused him to have an involuntary shudder from the sensation he moved on to his cheeks then the top of his head, and finally his ears. Having confirmed his general head shape, and that it was indeed his head he stared first at the back of his paws then turned them over pad side up pondering _'So I am a wolf, and I has paws. Have, I have paws; where did that thought come from? Anyway I has paws, I has ears/mimi, and I has a tail.'_ At that he rather determinedly sought out the attached appendage, and found himself chasing the damn infernal thing _'Why won't it stay put!?'_ until he realized himself, and stopped sitting on this haunches. It wasn't until he managed to get a hold of the thing that he managed to link the sensations he'd been getting from it to the fact that it was his tail, and from there after letting it go found himself able to wag it at will.

With a jubilant leap of triumph he gave a yip in feeling accomplished, and found himself standing on his hindpaws. He stretched out his arms for balance as his sudden position change caused him to wobble a bit before he dropped down to all fours finding the position his mind told him was _'natural'_ quite so. Doing his best to give himself a final once over he found that his fur, or what he could see of it was white, and for some reason he couldn't pinpoint it filled him with a sense of being himself. From there he turned his mind towards the predicament of his location thinking to himself _'If I were a cat I could climb a tree for a better vantage. Well the best I could do is at least start moving, and hope I run into something. With these trees I can't really tell from the sun which direction is which until it starts to set. I guess until then I'll just follow my nose.'_

That is exactly what he did hoping he'd find a clearing, or something to get a better view of the sun so he could at least have his bearings. As he wandered he occupied his mind by exploring every new scent he came across though he wasn't able to locate the source of all of them to identify what they were. Eventually as the sun started to set he managed to figure out where west was, and from there the other three cardinal directions. With this information he paused to consider which one to head in _'This is a northern climate so if I want civilization that direction is out, so hmm . . . East, South, or West?'_ The direction he settled on was south in hopes the clime would get warmer not that he was that cold to begin with deciding to rely on his senses of hearing, and smell to alter his course as necessary.

* * *

He had almost started losing track of how many days he'd been travelling, and as he reminded himself it was only day three. The nights had not been easy as he burrowed himself into the snow for insulation as he slept. He'd awoken at some point each night to the sound of his own howling from dreams he couldn't recall, but that left him feeling more than just alone. They left him feeling as if everyone he'd ever known, or cared about was dead, and he'd never see them again which in turn caused him to howl outright in expression of the pain until he fell back asleep.

The days had been better if for no other reason than that while awake he was free to at least sniff out new things as he went along. Part of him wanted to know whatever it was that was in those dreams that left him howling, but that part was ignored as he thought back to the one dream he could recall having had it last night. There had been a white she-wolf in front of him, but she hadn't said anything, or done anything other than give him a warm smile, and look at him with eyes like a golden moon full of love. Even when he'd woken up he still felt the sense he'd had in the dream that he knew her, and it filled him with an odd sort of longing he couldn't place.

That morning his thoughts wondering who she was, or how he knew her got him going after he ate some snow for the water though he was careful to not eat all he wanted so that it wouldn't in turn lower his body temperature. He spent most of the day doing his best to stay on a straight southerly course on the assumption that there'd more likely be something resembling civilization in that direction as opposed to east, or west of wherever it was that he was. The sun had been gradually making it's descent as he neared what looked like the edge of the forest. In hopes that it was at least the edge of the forest he picked up his pace unconcerned if all he found was more expanse of nothing. As he broke the tree line he saw that for quite a ways the ground was clear other than the snow, and as excited as he was to have the change in scenery he started running. It felt so good to run that at first he lost himself in the action closing his eyes momentarily until with his eyes back open he spotted a figure a ways away.

His first reaction was to stop dead in his tracks, and train both his nose, and ears on the figure along with his eyes. The figure looked like him although it was on only it's hindpaws, and it's fur was russet with black ears. From the distance between them he couldn't hear much, but as the wind shifted he could smell the figure. _'So not just a fox, but a vixen.'_ he thought then realizing the smaller canid might see him as a threat he swiftly laid down, and visibly wagged his tail not that it needed to be told twice since he was genuinely excited to see someone else. He kept his head up though to maintain his line of sight on the vixen, and his ears remained erect in alertness.

He hoped that this vixen wouldn't run away, and could help him internally praying _'At least let me show you that I'm friendly.'_ To his pleasant surprise she took a step towards him, and his tail wagged all the harder in response not that such a thing seemed possible. The vixen was cautious as she slowly made her way towards him, but when she got near enough to be in earshot she stopped causing an involuntary whine to escape him that didn't go unnoticed by the vixen.

"You're not savage are you?" he heard the vixen call out to him causing him to tilt his head to the side in curiosity since he didn't understand what she meant.

"You're not going to attack, or eat me are you?" she asked her original question differently, and he shook his head as violently as he could.

"Absurd." the thought had been so strong in his head that much to his own surprise he said it. The shocked expression across his face was priceless, and earned an unbidden giggle from the vixen.

"You're definitely not savage if you can talk. So I take it you've been the cause of those howls that've woken me up in the middle of the night?" The vixen responded to him.

"I . . . Whoah . . . I can talk? Holy Fuck I didn't think I could do this; damn this is gonna take some getting used to. Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah what the fuck do you mean 'am I going to eat you'? You're the first person I've come across after being alone for days, and I very much need your help so why would I eat you? Not to mention you're a fox, a vixen, a fellow canid. You are the farthest from food you could possibly get. Though I will say you do smell really good; I can't remember the last time I smelled a pretty girl." The words just seemed to flow out of him since up to that point all he'd had were his thoughts, and he hadn't bothered with trying to talk to himself feeling the endeavor would be useless.

"So you're saying I smell pretty?" She asked him to which he nodded, and she responded "Well that's the nicest thing someone has said to me in a while although coming from a strange, and naked wolf it could be taken as a little creepy."

"I kinda can't help that. I woke up back there in the woods alone, with no idea where I am, or how I got here. I may not be able to help being strange, but I can at least tell you my name so I'm not a stranger. It's David by the way." David told her.

"Well David my name is Evalyn." the vixen introduced herself.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to meet you Evalyn, and I must say that is such a beautiful name for such a lovely vixen." David told her smiling broadly before he got up, and asked her unable to hide his sadness in considering her fleeing him "If I come closer will you run away?".

"You said you needed my help, and clearly are quite friendly if not a little flirty." Evalyn replied with a smile adding "Why would I run from you?"

"Because you could just be a mirage created by my hunger, and loneliness, and that's what mirages do the closer to them you get. This is just a desert of frozen water after all" David replied tentatively taking a step towards her.

When her response to his words was to take her own step towards him he couldn't help the wagging of his tail, and as he began walking towards her she in turn walked towards him. When he reached her he got close enough to lift his muzzle into her right paw which was hanging at her side, and feeling that she was quite real he closed his eyes unable to not cry he was so happy. She surprised him when she got on her knees to bring herself to his level, and started stroking his head reassuringly with her paw. The comfort he felt at her touch, and knowing he really wasn't alone only made him cry harder his sobs moving her to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Thank you." David said with a final sniffle once his emotions had run their course.

"For what David?" Evalyn asked him soothingly stroking his ears that he held against his skull.

"For being real. For showing me the kindness you already have when you didn't need to." David answered pressing his neck into her savoring the contact of another mammal.

"Well, thank you David." Evalyn responded.

"Why are you thanking me?" David asked lifting his head to look her in the eyes.

"Most mammals seem to naturally distrust foxes just for being foxes with even other preds calling us sneaky pelts; thank you for not being like that, and not assuming I'd be offering to help you if I can just for my own gain." Evalyn told him, and the deep hurt he saw in her eyes caused his heart to go out to her. Then she said to him "I've never seen a wolf with eyes like yours. Don't take this the wrong way, but they're really pretty."

"Having not exactly had a mirror handy I'll just take your word for it, and thank you for the compliment I'm not used to those from girls." David responded with a smile before saying with clear seriousness "If I hear anyone say such mean things to you I will bite them, and they'll have brought it on themselves."

"David! You can't just go biting people; you'll get in serious trouble." Evalyn admonished him with a light swat to his nose, adding "That's a really funny word 'handy' what does it mean?"

"Fine, I won't bite them, but then I'll just be mean to them right back." David replied taking her cuff of his nose to heart before raising his right paw as he explained looking at her curiously "This is a paw, but these are fingers, and I can use it like a hand. To say something is handy is a way of saying it's useful, or as I just used it I meant having a mirror nearby to use."

"Huh, okay. Still kind of a weird word. Most mammals would've just said nearby, or at paw." Evalyn responded with a chuckle.

"Hmm, alright well I'll try to keep that in mind." David told her grinning that she found his word choice amusing.

"Well, David we can't just stay here chatting in the snow. How about you come with me back to my home? You said you were hungry, I can at least get you something to eat, and I bet after spending so long outside you could use a shower." Evalyn suggested.

"Lead the way, and thank you. Thank you very much. A shower sounds like heaven." David replied with a genuine smile.

With that David followed her though while she walked on her hindpaws he stayed on all fours matching his pace to hers so that his neck stayed roughly alongside her legs. While they were walking Evalyn couldn't help her curiosity, and kept up their conversation.

"So how long were you out there in the woods?" She asked him.

"Well I woke up around three days ago I guess. That's the earliest I remember." David answered.

"How did you sleep at night, and not freeze? You're fur isn't as thick as an arctic wolf's." She inquired.

"I dug myself into the snow for insulation. I read it in a book once, and am glad that though it was fiction that bit of information was true." David replied.

"Do you like reading?" Evalyn asked glancing at him curiously.

"Do I like reading?" David repeated her question as a rhetorical before telling her "I don't like reading; I love reading. By the time I was twelve I was reading at a college level."

"Wow, you sound like my mom; whenever she get's into a book she tells me not to bug her because she's reading." Evalyn told him with a laugh.

"Hmm, it sounds like you're mom, and I are going to get along just fine." David replied with a chuckle before asking a question of his own "How old are you Evalyn?"

"I'm sixteen." she answered asking in return as they neared a tall apartment building "How old are you David?"

"I don't really remember . . . I know I'm at least twenty-one. Of that I'm sure since I know I can buy alcohol." David answered her question causing him to get lost in thought about how he knew who he was, but couldn't really remember much about himself, yet he still knew things from his past.

"Maybe how you ended up naked in the woods has something to do with why you can't remember certain things?" Evalyn offered her muzzle scrunched in curiosity much as his was.

"Your guess is as good as mine, and I'm covered in fur so I'm not naked; shave off my fur, and then I would be quite naked." David said with a laugh at the thought of being furless before saying "Anyway, is this where you live with your mom?"

"Hahaha." Evalyn couldn't help her outburst of laughter "I'm sorry, but that's too funny picturing a wolf with no fur. You're not wearing clothes so you are naked, and for now please stay on all fours. We barely just met, and I don't think I'm ready for that kind of eyeful. Yep this is where we live, and I'm kinda going to have to sneak you up to our apartment. The last thing I need is for our neighbors, or anyone else seeing me bring you inside."

"It is pretty funny to picture, and would be plenty embarrassing even for me." David chuckled before adding "I like the sound of your laugh. Don't worry I will spare your eyes. Okay, you lead the way, and I'll be stealthy like a cat. I really can't thank you enough Evalyn for all you are doing for me. There's no way I will ever be able to repay you, but I will try. You are an angel I don't deserve, but am no less grateful to have met."

"Luckily for us there's stairs right by the back door." Evalyn said as she paused by the door in question grateful he couldn't see her blush that his kind words had ellicited.

David only nodded in response, and crossed the threshold as she opened the door. Once she was inside behind him she led the way to the stairs, and he followed her up resisting the urge to run up the stairs since he found climbing them on all fours relatively easy, and almost fun. They travelled up four flights of stairs though when she paused at the landing to peek through the door to the floor where her apartment was he was glad for the rest. With a paw she signaled that the coast was clear, and David found it fortunate that the apartment door she went to was relatively close to the stairwell they'd ascended.

Once they were both inside they both breathed a sigh of relief that caused David to chuckle before his stomach audibly growled which got a chuckle from Evalyn.

"Alright, you said you haven't eaten in at least three days so give me a minute, and I'll warm you up some leftovers." Evalyn said to him.

"Thank you, though I don't need much. Rule one of eating after having not for a while is don't gorge yourself." David replied.

"Okay. Good to know." Evalyn responded as she walked into the kitchen with David following her.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Evalyn asked with a giggle when she opened the fridge, and he poked his head inside sniffing around the shelves that were within reach of his muzzle.

"Investigating." David answered with a grin explaining "I'm still getting used to being able to smell everything, and it's like I have to recatalogue scents in my brain. You would not believe how long it took me to figure out I was smelling the birds in the trees, or how much I would've given just to catch one of those little taunting little morsels."

"Okay, well we've got some leftover fish that's still good, and some chicken which would you prefer?" Evalyn asked him.

David closed his eyes focusing on what he could smell his nostrils flaring before he answered "I think the fish. I smell the rosemary, and ah it's heavenly."

As if to reinforce his statement he started to drool, and had to swallow it before it left his muzzle earning a laugh from Evalyn who said "Fish it is."

After she pulled out the plate the fish was in she got a different plate, and put a couple filets on it then popped it in the microwave for only a couple minutes. When it was done she pulled it out, and turned towards him though her muzzle was confused as she looked at him causing him to tilt his head, and raise an eyebrow.

"Well, I'd put this on the table for you, but then you'd have to stand up to go sit. I can turn around while you go sit, or put it over there then turn around so you can sit." Evalyn said in answer of his unspoken question.

"Nonsense, just set it on the floor. Please." David told her with a nod.

"Really? Wouldn't you rather sit, and eat, and use a fork?" Evalyn asked it being her turn to tilt her head, and raise an eyebrow.

"I've spent the last couple days completely on all fours, and have enough practice eating snow for water. We can save you teaching me how to eat like a civilized mammal later." David told her with a grin.

"If you say so." Evalyn replied setting the plate on the floor in front of him.

He didn't hesitate once she'd set it down to first put a paw on the plate to keep it from moving then make quick work of the filets though he did savor smelling them up close before he took his first bite. Evalyn couldn't help watching with wide eyes as one moment the plate was full of fish, and in short order he was already licking it clean.

"That was like watching a reenactment of primitives eating." Evalyn commented once he'd lifted his muzzle from his task licking his muzzle clean.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the show. I'm here for as long as you decide to let me stay." David told her with a grin.

"Are you feeling better now?" Evalyn asked him with a chuckle.

"Very much so, yes. I'd lick your face to show my thanks, but you're kinda out of my reach." David answered.

"You don't have to do that." Evalyn said quickly holding up her paws though this time he did see how she blushed under the white fur of her muzzle, and inside her ears.

"Why are you blushing? Licking is like one of the most natural things canines do." David asked curiously tilting his head as he saw his words cause her to blush even more.

"I'm not blushing, and you don't need to kiss me like that just for giving you food. It's only what any decent mammal would've done." Evalyn told him.

"Your pretty red fur only hides so much of the fact that you are quite blushing dear Evalyn, and how else would I show my gratitude? Though I think I get where our signals are crossed." David told her with a grin adding "Now for me to really kiss you I would have to stand up on my hind paws, but I'm not going to be so forward with you."

"Hehe" Evalyn sort of tittered before saying "Okay, well how about that shower."

"Mmm, yes some hot water, and getting clean sounds like more of heaven." David responded turning around so he could get out of her way.

Evalyn picked up the plate from the floor, and set it on the counter before showing him the way to the bathroom. As she led him down the hall David couldn't help relying on his sense of smell in gathering information.

"I take it this room is yours since your scent is stronger past that door, and the one over there at the end of the hall is your mom's since she smells different than you, and from the lingering scent of water this third door is the bathroom." David said.

"You really have a good nose. I mean I smell the same things, and of course you do you're a grey wolf, but well . . ." Evalyn trailed off before saying "Let me grab you a towel so that when you're done you at least have that to cover yourself with."

While she retrieved a towel from the linen closet David managed to open the bathroom door himself by rearing up on his hindpaws, and manipulating the door handle with his forepaws feeling quite pleased by his success.

"Alright I'm just going to set this on the counter for you." Evalyn said as she stepped in to the bathroom enough to do so before turning to head back into the living room.

"Um, Evalyn." David said causing her to pause, and turn back around towards him "I kinda am not the most steady on my hindpaws. I hate to be a bother, but could you turn the water on for me. I think I'll be able to handle the rest, but I will leave the door open in case I need to holler for you."

"That's no problem. I've been wondering why you were on all fours when I found you. Are you really not used to walking on your hindpaws?" Evalyn asked as she moved past him, and got the shower going.

"To be honest, and this may sound weird to you I guess, but I'm not pulling your leg; when I woke up in the woods my natural inclination was to walk around on all fours. I did manage to get on my hindpaws temporarily, but it was very wobbly." David answered her.

"You got the bathroom door open though." Evalyn said.

"Allow me to demonstrate." David said before turning, and using his right paw in a swiping motion he shut the bathroom door then as he did when he opened it he reared up actually balancing on the door itself before he managed to turn the handle. Since this time he had to open the door inward in relation to his orientation towards it the act was a bit trickier. He stepped back with his hindpaws, and as his front half fell forward to the ground the door managed to open marginally. To get it fully open he used his left paw to swing it open by putting pressure on the edge then bringing his paw towards himself in another swiping motion.

"Okay. I believe you." Evalyn said before noting "You sure seemed to know how to get that door open, though."

"Oh the cat paw trick? I . . ." David paused as his words triggered the ghost of a memory, and he found himself staring at his right paw which he lifted, and turned the pad side upwards "I've seen it done before . . ."

"David" Evalyn said hoping to distract him from the sadness she saw welling in his eyes.

"Hmm?" he responded setting his paw down, and looking up at her blinking away the tears that had threatened to form.

"When you're done with the shower we have a fur dryer." Evalyn told him.

"Okay. How does it operate?" David asked.

Evalyn tilted her head at him curiously, but took it in stride that he wouldn't know how to use the most vital of technologies at the disposal of long furred mammals. She moved over to the floor vent that was next to the shower across from the toilet, and pointed with her paw at the wall where there was a switch, and two dials.

"It's super easy, just adjust the force, and temperature with the dials, and then turn it on with the switch." Evalyn explained.

"Ah, I see. That is super simple; thank you for pointing it out though. I'm pretty sure I'd have walked right by it, and just toweled dry as best as I could." David said giving her a grin before adding with a gesture towards the toilet "Also it's good to know that if I ever get thirsty there's a water bowl right here."

"Don't drink from the toilet. That is so gross. Why would you even think to do that?" Evalyn responded shocked by his suggestion though she couldn't help a laugh in picturing him actually doing it.

"Oh, trust me I wouldn't do that. I just wanted to make you laugh." David replied with a chuckle.

Evalyn just shook her head as she left the bathroom so he could shower, and David couldn't help his grin as he watched her walk away thinking to himself how grateful he was to have met her, and so far at least befriended her. Then he turned towards the shower itself, and managed to get the curtain to part for him as he got in. As the perfectly hot water washed over his head he closed his eyes savoring it though he kept his ears against his head to keep the water out. While he moved around under the spray to get the rest of himself wet he noticed the amount of dirty water flowing down the drain, and was surprised he was actually so dirty when he hadn't felt all that unclean. Once he was satisfied his fur was wet enough he moved to sit outside the spray of the shower head so he could grab the bottle of fur shampoo, and figure out how just to scrub himself down.

For this particular task being on all fours proved to be the main complicating factor, but he was determined to manage, and only ask for Evalyn's assistance if he truly found himself stuck. As it turned out he was actually able to get his front, and most of his sides lathered up, and rinsed clean from his sitting position with relative ease. He was also able to get his tail clean though that proved an interesting experience as the sensations of his paws on the appendage sent tingles up his spine that culminated in him giving his body a full shake. He also managed to get his neck fur in particular well scrubbed clean even the back of his neck, but that was as far as he could clean though he did try twisting this way, and that to reach the fur along his spine.

"Evalyn." David called out adding "Tasukete."

"What's wrong David?" Evalyn asked worriedly as she entered the bathroom doorway.

"It would appear I have reached an impasse, and must beg your aid in my endeavor." David said poking his head from behind the shower curtain on the end opposite the shower head.

"How can I help?" Evalyn asked grinning at the amusing way he used his words.

"I for the life of me cannot reach my back." David told her with a slight frown his muzzle showing his consternation.

"Hahaha." Evalyn couldn't help laughing at his muzzle which wasn't helped by the fact that the water stuck his head fur down against him before telling him "I'm sorry your muzzle expression was just too funny. Did you try standing on your hindpaws to reach better?"

"I'm glad you find me amusing, and no I didn't, but I don't think that'd work too well either with me keeping one paw on the wall to keep from falling over. We can work on getting me used to walking upright like you do later, yeah?" David told her.

"Alright, fair enough. I'll help you just give me the shampoo, and hold still." Evalyn told him as she approached him.

"Here you go." David said as he passed her the shampoo which he'd kept closed on the floor of the shower within his reach.

After she took it from him she slid the shower curtain back, and couldn't help a giggle seeing the line of still dirty fur that was evidence of his lack of reach. Getting a dollop of the shampoo in her left paw she set the bottle down then rubbed her paws together before she began lathering up his back. David couldn't help closing his eyes as he savored the comforting feeling of her paws on him, and did his best to hold still for her as all he wanted to do was get closer, and press himself into her touch. While she got his back lathered up which didn't take very long at all Evalyn told him that she'd let her mom know via text that she'd made a friend, and wasn't home alone, but that her friend would need her help which they could talk about when she got home later. She also told him she'd gotten in touch with her friend Kiera who was a grey she-wolf, and would be bringing some clothes for him since she had a brother who was going to college, and could spare at least a pair of sweatpants, and a t-shirt. David couldn't help, but thank her profusely until her claws running through the fur of his back towards his tail caused his back right leg to start involuntarily scratching his underbelly much to her amusement. When she was done she told him she'd be in the living room on the sofa before leaving him to rinse, and then get dry.

Having gotten his fur rinsed clean David turned off the water, and then shook his fur dry which was effective at getting at least most of the surface water out. Then he got out of the shower, and standing over the fur dryer vent reared up balancing against the wall to fiddle with the dials seeing that one was clearly for temperature, and the other for fan strength. After setting the fan strength to full blast, and the temperature to in between the middle, and maximum he switched it on. The feeling of the hot air blowing through his fur was more amazing, and even better than the feeling of hot water washing through his fur, and feeling clean. He couldn't help vocalizing his pleasure at the feeling, and ended up lingering in the hot air a little longer than necessary, but when he was done he found he didn't need the towel so he made his way to the living room where Evalyn was.

"I take it you enjoyed the fur dryer?" Evalyn asked with a giggle as she looked up from her phone at his entrance.

"Oh, my gods yes. For that alone I seriously owe you my life." David responded smiling at her as he made his way to the sofa.

When she patted the sofa cushion next to her inviting him to sit next to her he obligingly hopped up on the sofa. He wasted little time, and no pretense curling up next to her, and using her lap for a pillow which he was thankful Evalyn didn't mind. When she began idly stroking his head, and ears he let out a contented sigh soon enough falling asleep.

Evalyn who was checking her muzzlebook while she waited for Kiera to text her when she got there couldn't exactly place why it seemed the thing to do to pet him as she was, but felt reassured that he seemed to enjoy her touch. When his breathing changed indicating he'd fallen asleep she couldn't help turning her muzzle from her phone to watch him. He looked so at peace, and that he seemed so comfortable around her in turn gave her a sense of comfort. When he started dreaming with his paws twitching as well as his eyes, and lips as he let out soft growls she had to stifle her laughter, and couldn't help using her phone to record him though she had no intention of sharing it with anyone except maybe her mom.

When he'd been asleep maybe twenty minutes, and was in the middle of another dream full of soft growls there was a knock at the door which surprised Evalyn, but David's own surprised reaction shocked her more than the knock had. He bolted up in a flash off the sofa, and facing the door let loose a defensive growl his hackles so up it looked like he had a mohawk along his spine.

"Easy David, it's probably just Kiera." Evalyn told him, but he didn't start relaxing till she placed a paw on his head.

"I told you to text me when you got here for a reason Kiera." Evalyn said through the door after she'd used the peephole to verify it was her friend who'd knocked before opening it.

"I know, it's a habit I'm sorry. So why exactly did you need me to do you the huge favor of bringing you some of my brother's old clothes that he won't miss, and what was that growling?" Kiera asked looking at Evalyn before her gaze turned, and she caught sight of David her eyes widening.

"Oh my gods, Evie how did you get a savage wolf in your apartment, and why is he not destroying anything. How are you not dead?" Kiera machine gunned out.

"Okay, you guys are going to have to explain to me what you mean by savage, and clearly Kiera since I am able to speak clearly then I am not a savage." David said to her before Evalyn could respond.

"Then why are you naked?" Kiera asked without missing a beat.

"I woke up like this. Three days ago more or less in the woods of wherever this is." David answered before adding with a grin "And as Evalyn, and I discussed earlier shave off my fur, and then I will be naked."

"Pfft, hahahaha." Kiera couldn't help laughing outright at that suggestion before managing to recover enough to say "Okay, so I take it you've been the one howling in the night Evie's been telling me about."

"David, you don't know where you are?" Evalyn asked having picked up on what he'd said.

"Nope, I do not." David answered with a shake of his head adding "From the weather though which is my kind of weather I'd assume we're somewhere in the northern reaches of this planet."

"Well you're in for a surprise then, but before we get into that why are you on all fours? Isn't that uncomfortable?" Kiera asked.

David just grinned broadly deciding to show her rather than tell her, and with a determined push off the ground got his torso up while taking a step forward with his right leg to get himself in a standing position though he was quite wobbly on his feet, and had to hold his arms out for balance. It was all he could do at the moment to simply stay standing, but as he maintained his upright position it clicked in his head that his issue wasn't his body's inability to stand upright, but his mind telling him that being on all fours was the proper way. His grin seemed stuck on his muzzle because as that bit of information was clicking into place he didn't fail to notice not only that he was taller than both females, but that their eyes widened as they both glanced down getting quite the eyeful.

"David! You said you wouldn't stand up until you were dressed." Evalyn admonished him though it wasn't very effective since he could clearly see her trying, and failing to not stare at his wolfhood.

"Oh, my. That's a bit bigger than my brother." Kiera said softly, but not inaudibly as her blush reached her ears.

"Well I hope I'm still in the average range. I'd rather not be too big for most females. That said though I think this tongue of mine is the more important tool for that kind of task." David responded before dropping back to all fours, and saying to Kiera "To actually answer your question of why I was staying like this it was so I wouldn't give Evalyn the eyeful you inspired me to give her. Also if you do have clothes for me I very much would appreciate them so I can start getting used to walking upright like you two are."

"I can't believe you just said that . . . about your tongue . . ." Evalyn muttered blushing rather obviously.

"I'm just being honest." David told her unable to not lick his nose showing off the length of his tongue in response.

Evalyn, and Kiera both were quiet for a beat after that, and David could clearly smell their slight arousal. Seeing his nose flare, and greedily drink in the air only made both girls blush harder. It took Kiera a moment to really register what he'd said about wanting to get dressed, but when it did she hastily passed him the grey sweatpants, and white undershirt she'd packed in her messenger bag which David took in his jaws before heading to the bathroom to dress himself.

He didn't bother shutting the bathroom door, and started by rearing up on his hindpaws to set the clothes on the counter before using a paw on the counter to steady himself as he got his legs under him. From there he had to think through just how he would go about getting dressed before he made the attempt. His first order of business was to grab the sweatpants then turn around so he was resting his lower back against the countertop, and do his best to get first one leg then the other in the sweatpants without falling forward. It proved a bit tricky, and for a moment he certainly thought he was going to fall, but he managed feeling quite accomplished with his success. From there getting the shirt on was a simple matter since he was still using the bathroom counter as a sort of crutch for balance. Once he was dressed he made his way out of the bathroom on his hindpaws though he used a paw along the wall to stay steady. As he came around the corner into the living room he found the girls had moved to the sofa, and doing his best to not fall back on all fours he made his way towards them.

"I already owe Evalyn more than I could repay for the kindness she had already showed me, and now for the clothes on my back, and to my name I owe you too Kiera. Thank you." David said to her as he took very careful calculated steps.

"You're very welcome, David." Kiera responded before asking "Why are you walking so funny?"

"Kiera!" Evalyn said chidingly.

"It's okay Evalyn. What do you mean Kiera?" David said raising an eyebrow.

"Watch me" Kiera said as she got up, and took a few steps in a loose circle before explaining "Your walking on your toes. Try using your whole foot."

"Okay . . . like this?" David asked as he lowered how he was standing putting pressure on his ankle that wasn't painful, or uncomfortable.

"Yeah, now try taking a few steps." Kiera encouraged.

David's muzzle took on a look of focus, as he tried putting first one foot then the other in front of him in this new way which as he could see from how Kiera was standing was how they managed to walk so balanced upright. Soon enough he was doing more than taking tentative steps, and was actually walking properly which caused him to yip excitedly as he circled the coffee table before he embraced Kiera in a firm hug.

"Thank you so much." David said nearly crying he was so happy as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Your welcome, again." Kiera responded before blushing up to her ears said to Evalyn "Evie you know what you forgot to have me bring?"

"What?" Evalyn asked.

"Underwear." Kiera said with a bit of a whine.

"Oh, uh . . . sorry." David said swiftly letting her go as he understood what she meant.

"It's fine. I mean I already saw it, and it's not like you meant to get so close. Like that anyway." Kiera responded clearly flustered.

"I think I should say this now. I am already relying so much on your kindness as it is while I still am very much a stranger to you both. I may flirt with you because I think you both are really pretty, but I'm not going to try to do anything more than that; not only would it be wrong of me simply because I am already indebted to you, but you both are underage while I am not, and while I'm not really bothered by that fact, since you both are old enough so to speak, I'd rather not get in that kind of trouble." David felt the need to tell them both.

"Actually, David the legal age here is sixteen." Kiera informed him.

David opened, and closed his jaw a couple times as he processed that before he managed to respond "Good to know, but I stand by my previous statement. So don't tempt me. Evalyn, please say something."

"You wanted to know why we both thought you were savage, right?" Evalyn said doing her best to steer them away from the subject they were on.

"Yeah, I really don't get that." David replied thankful for the subject change.

"So we could tempt you?" Kiera said sticking to the subject that the other two were trying to dodge adding "If you're so indebted to us what's to stop us from having you pay us back in that way?"

"I'm a guy, and find you attractive of course you could tempt me, but that doesn't guarantee I'd give in, and it would be wrong of me to pay my debts to either of you with sex so don't even think it's an option. End of story." David told her boring his eyes into hers.

"Okay, okay. I won't push that subject then, but just so you know you aren't so bad looking yourself." Kiera responded before she truly met his gaze, and said "Whoa . . . I've never seen a wolf with eyes like yours both yellow, and blue at the same time; they're really pretty."

"Yellow-green ring around the iris, blue-grey around that followed by an outer ring of dark grey?" David asked since he still hadn't availed himself of a mirror, but knew what his eyes looked like.

"Yeah." Kiera nodded.

"Hmm. Well, thank you Evalyn told me the same thing herself." David said with an easy grin before adding "Now what is all this savage business?"

"Well for no apparent reason mammals, specifically predators, have been going nuts out of nowhere. They start moving about on all fours, and will attack anything they can. There's been a couple maulings, and luckily so far that's the worst of it, but no one can figure out why, or what to do about it." Evalyn explained.

"Yeah, and it doesn't help that because of all of it prey are ostracizing us more as if we're all dangerous when if you ask me an elephant not watching where they're walking is just as dangerous for anyone smaller." Kiera added.

"Wait what? How the hell does an elephant survive in the lower arctic?" David asked looking at her with his head tilted, and ears erect in total curiosity.

"Right, you don't know where we are." Kiera said with a giggle.

"Hey, don't make fun of him!" Evalyn admonished her.

"I don't care. So what if I only really know my name, and who I am, but can't remember anything else. I'll just relearn everything I can so tell me where are we?" David responded though there was an edge to the flippant way he said it that brought Kiera up short as much as his words themselves did.

"You're serious?" Kiera asked her shock evident on her muzzle.

"I am. I really don't remember anything; I mean I know my first name is David, and I'm at least twenty-one because I know I've bought alcohol before. I know me, and things I've been through, but people I've known like my parents, or where I'm from I couldn't tell you." David answered her adding "My first real memories, the things that stick out are waking up in the woods, realizing I have a muzzle, I has paws, and my fur is white. What really sticks out the most was the dream I had of the white she-wolf with golden eyes like a harvest moon that were so full of love, and those fucking birds in the trees taunting me; if I get my paws around one I'm fucking devouring it."

"Wait, you had a dream about a white she-wolf with eyes full of love that were like moonlight through amber?" Evalyn asked curiously sharing a look with Kiera.

"What did she say in the dream, or what did she do?" Kiera asked pointedly.

"I did. She didn't say, or do anything other than just smile at me. I felt like I knew her, and there was a longing in me I can't quite put my . . . paw . . . on." David answered them pausing as he looked at his own paw reminding himself that it wasn't a hand though he only knew the meaning of the word, and couldn't remember what a hand was supposed to look like.

"The Wolf Mother came to you in a dream, but didn't say anything? Usually when she appears to us in our dreams it's to tell us something important." Kiera said.

"The . . . Wolf . . . Mother . . ." David repeated slowly as tears began flowing unbidden from his eyes then asked "Why am I crying?"

"It's okay David." Evalyn said reassuringly as she wrapped her arms around him for emphasis.

"Anyway, you wanted to know where we are. We're in Tundratown which is one of the four main districts of the city of Zootopia. The other three main districts are the Rainforest District, Savannah Central, and Sahara Square." Kiera explained doing her best to change the subject.

"Okay, I take it from the names each district has a different climate, or how else would you explain elephants in this city." David said wiping his muzzle then asking "How exactly does that work?"

"Climate walls, like the one between Tundratown, and Sahara Square; on this side it blows out super frigid air while on the other side it's exhaust vents heat." Evalyn answered as she let him go.

"So it's like a really big air conditioning unit? Sounds like quite the sight." David said.

"They definitely are massive." Kiera replied before her phone started ringing.

"Hey, mom." Kiera answered her phone.

"Yeah. Okay. Alright I'll be home soon." Kiera responded to what her mother was saying.

"She want's you home before dark?" Evalyn asked after Kiera hung up her phone.

"Yeah, she said she didn't want me late for dinner, but I know she's just worried about me making it home safe. This whole preds going savage crap has her more worried than usual." Kiera told her.

"I know what you mean; I didn't tell my mom I was going to go into the woods to find out who was howling because I knew she'd worry. She was actually going to call the police if we heard it again just to be safe even though I kept telling her those howls sounded more sad than anything." Evalyn replied giving David a grin.

"Well hopefully she doesn't call the cops on me anyway, hehehe. And I think my nights of howling out like that are done." David said a little nervous at the thought of cops, and how they'd have reacted to him if they'd been the ones he'd come across instead of Evalyn.

"I don't think she will. Evie's mom is really nice. I kind of think of her as my second mom." Kiera assured him with a smile as she got her stuff together.

"We'll see, but I think she'll agree to help you much as I have." Evalyn added optimistically.

Once Kiera was ready to head out Evalyn, and David both wished her a safe journey home with Evalyn giving her a hug goodbye, and David insisting on doing likewise thanking her again for the clothes though he was careful to not get quite as close as he had before. Evalyn went back to the sofa where David joined her again curling up next to her though this time he rested his head against her leg, and not on her lap enjoying the way she idly stroked his head after he'd nudged her free paw indicating he wanted her to do so.

"You really like me doing this, huh?" Evalyn asked him as she checked her phone, and read the text her mom had sent.

"I cannot tell you how comforting it is, but if your paw gets tired you can stop." David told her closing his eyes, and sighing contentedly.

"Alright, though I don't really mind. To be honest with you David besides Kiera who's been my friend since we were little you're the first mammal to trust me so openly, and treat me like just another mammal instead of as a _fox_." Evalyn told him though the way she said the last word caused him to lift his head to look up towards her eyes.

"Evalyn, fox is just a descriptor of your species not some word defining who you are as a person. If anyone can't see past the species your soul was born into then that's their loss for never getting to know the kind soul beneath your fur. Besides how indebted to you I feel for how much you've helped me already I am truly glad you were the first person I met in this world." David told her with open, and clear sincerity.

Evalyn's response to his words was to fall over on to him resting her head on his ribs as she couldn't help crying softly. David let her cry into him doing his best to reach his right arm around her since he was on his left side, and with his right paw he stroked her head much as she'd been doing to him. His heart went out to her, and a part of him swore to himself that no matter what it took he'd be there for her as best he could in whatever way she needed him.

"Thank you David, and I see what you mean this is really comforting." She said as her tears stopped, and she couldn't help taking his right paw holding it to her muzzle as she pressed into it before telling him "My mom sent me a text that she'd be home a little later than usual since she's picking up dinner, and she really wants to meet this new friend I've made."

"Well do be sure to warn her that I'm a guy, but that I'm not just some . . . how would you say this? Not just out for sex from the first pretty girl I can get my paws on." David asked her.

"You mean a 'tail chaser'?" Evalyn asked as she flopped her tail over her side the tip of it resting against the top of his head.

"Oh, hello there fluffy appendage. Nice to meet you." David said with a grin addressing her tail which she flicked against him in response.

"Really? You're talking to my tail?" Evalyn asked unable to suppress a giggle.

"There's the sound that is music to these ears." David said with a grin before telling her "Just so you know I will make a total fool of myself just to make you laugh. As a loyal wolf, and friend to you it is a sacred duty I take upon myself without hesitation."

"Oh, my gods you are too cheesy." Evalyn couldn't help, but laugh outright leaning her back against the sofa.

"I come by it honestly, I assure you." David told her.

"You know David if you wanted to you could call me Evie like Kiera does. I wouldn't mind." Evalyn said to him casually as she turned to her phone tapping out a response to her mom.

"Well, perhaps I will, but for now I think I'll stick to using your full name. I really like the sound of Evalyn; it really is a lovely name just to say." David responded honestly.

"You know for someone who is so adamant about not wanting to get in my pants you sure have quite the honeyed tongue, and keep saying the kind of things that would get me to let you in my pants." Evalyn told him.

"Evalyn it's not that I don't want to get into your pants, or Kiera's for that matter. I'm a male those thoughts are there in my mind, but I am already indebted to you, and reliant upon you because right now you're the only friend I've got. It would be wrong of me on too many levels to try, and sleep with you in that way; now if you wanted me to actually sleep next to you, or at your feet I'd willingly be your personal bed warmer. To be honest that you are trusting me to be so close to you makes me want to be worthy of that trust, and of being your friend; if I were to seek sex from you just because I can that would be a betrayal of the trust you are putting in me." David responded seriously adding "That I even have that kind of chance with a girl as beautiful as you has me feeling like a fish out of water"

"Okay, David." Evalyn replied.

They stayed as they were lying against each other enjoying the companionable silence the fell between them. In no time at all it seemed though it was only half an hour they were both roused by the sound of Evalyn's mom putting her key into the lock of the apartment door unlocking it before she opened it. David had been the first to move swiftly getting off the sofa, and onto his feet while Evalyn a little slower in her movements did the same standing next to him. As soon as he saw Evalyn's mom step through the door David swiftly spoke the first thing that came to his mind.

"Hello, my name is David. For the kindness your daughter has shown me I am now, and forever in her debt. To have raised such a one you are surely no less a kind soul, and you are both truly daughters of the Wolf Mother whom she looks upon fondly with all the love in her heart." David introduced himself before he fell to his knees, and slid his paws forward as he bowed to her his nose nearly touching the floor instinctively performing a dogeza.

With his gaze firmly upon the floor David who didn't move a muscle didn't see the effect his words had on Evalyn whose eyes teared up, or her mother who was simply struck speechless her eyes wide in evidence of her shock.

"Hello, David. I'm Lorelei. What kindness has my daughter shown you?" Lorelei asked him managing to find her words.

"I was hungry, and she fed me. I was naked, and she clothed me. Most of all I was alone, and she embraced me as a friend." David answered his tone almost reverential before he rose up into a seiza, and added "Even if I spend the rest of this life trying I will never repay my debt to your daughter, and if you agree to help me much as she has I will likewise be in your debt."

"How can I help you?" Lorelei asked her muzzle scrunching contemplatively.

"I . . . need a place to stay at least until I can find a job, and get on my own two feet." David answered keeping his eyes locked on Lorelei's.

"And if I refuse?" Lorelei replied.

"Mom!" Evalyn exclaimed, but Lorelei help up a paw silencing her daughter.

"You'd be well within your rights to do so; there's no reason for you to help me, and nothing I can offer you now in recompense. I spent the last couple nights curled up under the snow; it wasn't so bad." David told her with a shrug.

"Don't you have a family?" Lorelei inquired raising an eyebrow.

"Lorelei, I woke up three days ago in the middle of the woods north of here with nothing but my fur. I know my name, and who I am, but as for memories of anything before I woke up; nothing. I figured I was somewhere in the far north considering the climate, so I started heading south figuring I'd run into something, or anything really. When I cleared the trees Evalyn was the first person I saw, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am that she didn't run from me." David explained matter of factly.

"Well, I can tell you're not lying to me." Lorelei said staring into her eyes to gauge his reaction which didn't change, and noted "I've never seen a wolf with eyes like yours half blue, half yellow."

"So, Evalyn." Lorelei turned to her daughter staring at her pointedly "What were you doing heading towards the woods?"

Evalyn folded her ears back, and tilted her head lifting her muzzle to expose her throat before answering "I wanted to find out who was howling so sadly."

"My sweet Evie I'm not mad at you. A little concerned you'd let your curiosity get the better of you, when for all you knew it could've been a savage wolf, but not mad." Lorelei told her daughter before gesturing with the bag of takeout chinese food she held in her paw "Now let us sit, and eat since there is much for us to talk about, and I'm tired of holding this."

At that Evalyn went back to where she'd been sitting at the end of the sofa, and David likewise got up only to sit down cross legged on the floor next to Evalyn's legs his position perpendicular to hers while her mom occupied the other end of the sofa. Once she was comfortable Lorelei got into the back of food, and passed her daughter one of the styrofoam containers which she said held her daughter's favorite kung pao chicken along with some fried rice, and potstickers. She then passed her daughter another styrofoam container which held the same contents as the one for her daughter to give to David, and pulled out her own container of food which held broccoli chicken with mushrooms, and chowmein before passing them their chopsticks.

"Thank you, thank you, mom. You're the best." Evalyn told her mom happily after she'd passed David his food, and broken apart her chopsticks wasting no time using them to pop a pot sticker into her mouth.

"I hope you don't mind David I got you the same thing I got Evie." Lorelei said misinterpreting the way he stared at the container of food.

"Oh, I don't mind at all." David told her looking up at her, and wiping drool from his muzzle.

"Do you not know how to use chopsticks?" Evalyn asked in between chewing her second pot sticker.

David just grinned at her, and raised an eyebrow before breaking apart his sticks, and rather pointedly opening his container of food which he sniffed deeply drinking in the scent of it then picking up a potsticker with his chopsticks in his right paw bit it in half chewing slowly.

"He performed a perfect dogeza, and you asked if he knew how to use chopsticks?" Lorelei had a chuckle at her daughter's expense.

"Don't ask me how I knew to do that, but it seemed the proper thing to do considering the situation." David said after he swallowed the other half of his potsticker.

"That reminds me. When you called me to help you wash your back David you said what was it? 'Toss kitty'? What did that mean?" Evalyn asked him.

"Hahaha" David laughed before explaining "You mean tasukete? It's Japanese for 'save me'. Another Japanese word for you is Gyoza which is what potstickers are called."

"Do you speak Japanese?" Evalyn asked curiously.

"Not fluently, but apparently I know several words. I know I'd like to learn it fluently." Davi answered.

"Did I just hear you correctly Evalyn? You washed his back for him?" Lorelei asked her daughter raising an eyebrow.

"It was the one part I couldn't reach while on all fours." David quickly explained though when Lorelei simply raised her other eyebrow he leaned over to the coffee table to set his food down careful to lay his chopsticks flat, and not sticking up like funeral incense then told her "Allow me to demonstrate."

"When I woke up it was easier for me to walk about on all fours." David said as he got up on all fours taking a few steps around further explaining "Rediscovering my appendages was quite the experience. I particularly had a time getting a hold of my tail" at this he demonstrated chasing his tail much to both vixen's amusement before he sat on his haunches, and grabbed it.

"My success caused me to give a yip, and leap in victory which actually got me standing on my hindpaws" David continued showing them how he stood rather unstably on his toes before dropping back down to all fours adding "Evalyn can tell you how even like this I can manage to rear up, and open a door, or if I had to probably a few other things, but one thing I found I couldn't do was reach my back. In fact I didn't really get the knack for walking upright like you do so easily until after I'd gotten dressed courtesy of Kiera bringing me some of her brother's old clothes, and she corrected my mistake."

With that David went back to where he'd been sitting next to Evalyn, and tucked back into his food first polishing off his remaining gyoza then working on the kung pao chicken, and fried rice.

"So, David you're essentially having to relearn things we normally take for granted?" Lorelei asked.

"That, and then some. There's a world worth of history I simply don't know, or remember, and if some of the things Evalyn, and I've talked about are anything to go on there's a lot of etiquette, and customs I need to learn too." David answered.

"Kind of like a kit, but you're already an adult so you'll be able to learn a bit faster." Lorelei noted before nodding to herself, and telling him "The Mother came to me last night in my dream, and she told me she was sending me one of her wolves who would need my help, and that I would know when I met him. After what your first words to me were, how could I doubt that you are the wolf she spoke of? For you to so easily, and sincerely say my daughter, and I are true daughters of the Mother . . . that is the highest compliment a wolf could ever say to any other canid, and you said it to us a pair of foxes; I will not soon forget it. You can stay with us for now, and I will do what I can to help you; it's fortunate for you that I'm a lawyer, and it shouldn't be too hard for me to help you get proper identification, and other papers."

At her words David couldn't help crying not only because of his happiness that she wasn't throwing him out into the snow, but also at her mention of the Wolf Mother, and her words.

"Are you okay, David?" Lorelei asked a little stunned that what she'd said would get quite the reaction out of him that it was while Evalyn who was closer to him put a paw on his shoulder comfortingly.

"One of her's . . ." David said with a sniffle as the tears streamed from his eyes before he set his food down on the coffee table, and got up walking over to Lorelei gesturing that he wanted to hug her. When she got up that is exactly what he did crying into her shoulder as she returned the embrace her heart as a mother going out to him.

"Thank you, thank you so much." David told her adding "I will pay you back as soon as I'm working, and can, but I will never stop owing you. The both of you. I swear this the Mother as my witness."

"I'll hold you to it, but what kind of child of the Mother would I be if I didn't agree to take you in especially after she asked me help you? What kind of example would that set for my daughter?" Lorelei responded.

Their moment was interrupted by Evalyn's phone ringing which she promptly answered.

"What's up Kiera?" Evalyn asked.

"Okay, I will." Evalyn responded before she hung up her phone confusion written on her muzzle.

Evalyn grabbed the television remote, and turned on the t.v. then changed it to the local news channel ZNN. The three of them watched as the anchors delivered a special report detailing the arrest of Mayor Bellweather for attempted murder of an Officer Judy Hopps, and for being the mastermind behind the predator's going savage. The report then cut to the Chief of Police Bogo giving a short statement that thanks to the efforts of Officer Hopps in an undercover operation the source of the predator's going savage had been found which he stated was due to them being shot with a serum derived from Nighthowler flowers, and that Officer Hopps' efforts along with aid from a citizen to remain unnamed had led to the Mayor confessing during her attempt to murder Officer Hopps. When the report cut back to the anchors, and they brought up the press conference that Officer Hopps had spoken at following the arrest of former mayor Lionheart Evalyn turned off the t.v. mumbling about having heard the important part.

"Well, I'm glad that's finally over. Hopefully now things will start going back to normal." Lorelei said as she sat back down on the sofa.

"Yeah, now we can stop living in fear." Evalyn agreed to which David nodded while they too sat back down.

Once they were done eating, and Evalyn had quite the laugh at the way David panted from the heat of a pepper that had been rather potent Lorelei told David he was welcome to the couch while she excused herself to go take a shower. David helped Evalyn clean up the remains of dinner, and then they sat back on the sofa chatting idly about the strange, but definitely good day they'd had topped off by the great news that the whole 'savage predator' business was done though David noted that now that the idea of one nefarious mammal was out in the open the chances of another trying something similar existed so they weren't totally out of the woods, but would at least be better prepared.

"Evie the shower's free." Lorelei called out as she exited the bathroom.

"Okay!" Evalyn hollered back before telling David "I'm gonna go take a shower then hit my bed, so good night."

"You know I could join you, and wash your back since you washed mine." David suggested with a wink, and a grin letting her know he was only teasing.

"Good night, David." Evalyn told him with a grin.

"See you in the morning, Evalyn." David replied smiling back at her.

After she left he made himself comfortable on the sofa stretching out his full length on his back, and drifted off to sleep feeling quite content, and optimistic for the future though it remained uncertain.


	2. Rain

_**Brief A/N:** Whoo . . . tried to upload this my usual way, and got stupid 'Error 2' message, but copy/paste was a successful workaround. I am so happy to actually have finished this today, and now I can focus all of my energies on Scars Ch.19. If I had to give you a reason why it's taken me so very fucking long to actually finish this, or make what progress on Scars Ch.19 that I have, well it's a mix of depression, and running out of steam - seriously lack of steam has been the bigger issue. Go figure all this writing i've been doing has been a sort of salve against depression, but there you go. Anyway here's to hoping I've kicked the ass of those road blocks. Also, this chapter kind of ends abruptly, and this is not without reason: what I had pictured in my head as being roughly the end of this chapter is where I stopped it as opposed to pulling filler out of the ether to flesh out what would be the rest of it just to end it like I normally do. I really hope anyone who reads this enjoys it, particularly the later half of this chapter since I did have fun writing it._

 _This chapter's title song is like the previous one sung by Steve Conte, and featured in an anime where Yoko Kanno helmed the soundtrack, in this case Cowboy Bebop. So, see you later space cowboy . . ._

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In the middle of the night Evalyn awoke drowsily, and it took her a moment to realize what had woken her. She hadn't bothered closing her bedroom door, and clearly, but intermittently she could hear whimpering punctuated by the occasional whine. Sleepily she got out of bed, and as her position shifted the need of her bladder for relief made itself paramount so she quickly went into the bathroom. Once her business was taken care of she made her way down the hall into the living room. Even without any lights on she could still see fairly well since like most canids she had excellent night vision. She could see David curled up in on himself at one end of the sofa, and as she got closer she could see his eyes twitching as he was deep in R.E.M. sleep with whatever he was dreaming causing him to whimper out. She didn't want to wake him, and she wanted to go back to sleep so in her still half-asleep mind it made perfect sense to just curl herself up next to him, and for good measure use him as her pillow. Before she fell back asleep nuzzling into his ribs as she got comfy she was thankful the under shirt he'd been wearing had ridden up since his fur was very comfy.

It was a good couple of hours until dawn when Lorelei awoke with the need to relieve her bladder of it's contents. When she was done with the bathroom she decided to check in on her daughter as a mother is wont to do. When she found Evalyn's bed empty she was a little concerned, but a quick sniff told her that her daughter was still in the apartment. After walking down the hall into the living room Lorelei found her daughter where she'd moved, and couldn't help a grin at the sight of her using David for her pillow. It wasn't lost on her how her motherly instincts that should be wary of her kit getting so close to an adult wolf of all mammals simply weren't, and as she watched them sleep she thought on it a little. There was more to it than this wolf being somehow, and for some reason brought into her life by the Wolf Mother herself. She couldn't quite put a paw on it, but something told her that this wolf was a gentle soul, and a good mammal in his own right. Watching them sleep, and so peacefully at that had the bonus effect of making her want to go back to sleep, and though for a second she was tempted to join them on the sofa she instead returned to her bed where after double checking that her alarm was set she drifted off.

When David awoke with a wide yawn, and a stretch of his legs he found that there was a weight on him preventing him from moving his back legs, and as he stretched out his front legs he felt the source of that weight wrap it's arms around his. This caused him to open his eyes, and lift his head to investigate where he found Evalyn was using him for her pillow his legs pinned under her shoulder while she held onto his arms. He also saw Lorelei with a coffee mug in her paw holding a finger to her muzzle signaling him to be quiet. He looked at her curiously, and as he watched he couldn't help grinning broadly while she reached a paw out to her daughter's right foot tickling the tuft of fur between the paw pad causing the leg to jerk, and the foot to kick. Then Lorelei did the same thing to the other foot, and since it was the side Evalyn was lying on the responding jerk was enough to wake her up.

"Mom! Stop it." Evalyn sleepily called out.

"No, do it again." David encouraged Lorelei before laughing watching as Lorelei again went for Evalyn's right hindpaw.

"Bad wolf. Don't encourage her." Evalyn said to him swatting his head lazily with her right forepaw before she realized she had an arm around one of his forelegs, and went for his right forepaw's fur tuft causing him to try jerking it away.

"Hahaha, so that's what that feels like." David couldn't help, but laugh though when Evalyn tickled his paw again it caused him to shiver, and shake his head to relieve the tension his ears flapping as he did so.

"Hahaha." Lorelei just laughed then sipped at her coffee before telling them "It's time to wake up you two. I'm going to get breakfast ready, and I've already made coffee."

David couldn't help lifting his nose into the air for confirmation of Lorelei's statement, and with a bit of effort he extricated himself from under Evalyn walking on all fours towards the kitchen where Lorelei had gone his tail wagging behind him like a sort of flag.

"Good morning, Lorelei." David said as he pushed off the ground with his forepaws then with a paw on the corner of the kitchen counter got himself in a standing position.

"Good morning, David. I had you at coffee didn't I?" Lorelei responded with a grin.

"That you did." David told her before asking "Anything I can do to help with breakfast?"

"Well I was just going to scramble up some eggs, and fry some turkey bacon." Lorelei responded then asked "You want to give it a try?"

"Sure." David responded happily "Just tell me where stuff is, and I'll get cracking."

"You said there was coffee? And did I hear turkey bacon?" Evalyn asked as she entered the kitchen.

"That I did sweetie, I'll pour you a mug. How do you like your coffee David?" Lorelei asked him as she set her coffee down then went to fetch a couple mugs from the cupboard where they were kept above, and to the right of the oven.

"Black as the Devil Painteth." David answered her with a grin as he opened the fridge, and relying on his nose as much as his eyes got out the eggs, and after a little extra sniffing managed to find the turkey bacon though he got quite the looks from both vixens as he gave both items extra sniffs getting his nose quite close to them.

"Why're you sniffing the eggs?" Lorelei couldn't help, but ask.

"I know that song, and get away from my bacon!" Evalyn told him with a hint of a laugh in her voice.

"Forgive me, but I can actually smell the eggs, and the turkey. I'm cataloguing the scents, and is that the kind of music you like listening to Evalyn?" David answered them.

"I guess that makes sense, everything for you must be a learning, or relearning experience." Lorelei replied with a nod as she filled the mugs she'd gotten with coffee then got in the fridge for the creamer, and a can of whipped cream.

"I'm more a fan of bands like The Cruxshadows though I do appreciate the classics like The Cure." Evalyn answered him.

"It really is Lorelei, but like my love for reading I have a love for learning. The Cruxshadows are awesome; do you know Sopor Aeternus, Evalyn?" David responded to them before asking Lorelei "So I need a bowl, a fork, and a frying pan where might I find those?"

"Utensils are here in the drawer to the right of the sink" Lorelei told him as she got a spoon for what she was doing, and a fork for him adding "Bowls are up in this cupboard along with plates above the silverware drawer, and frying pans are in the oven."

"Thank you, and why do you put them in the oven? What if someone wants to bake something, and just turns it on because they're expecting the oven to be empty?" David asked her one of his ears cocked to the side while he raised an eyebrow.

"See! That's what I keep saying to you mom. Thank you David." Evalyn exclaimed feeling quite vindicated before adding "I can't say I've heard of Sopor Aeternus."

"I'm the one usually in this kitchen, so where I put them is fine. I know they're in the oven." Lorelei asserted with a huff though she was grinning nonetheless.

"Your house, your rules; I'm not complaining. I'll show you them, or rather her on Youtube later then; just remind me about it because I can get distracted okay?" David replied to both of them while he got a bowl down then went about cracking eggs into it failing to notice the confused looks he got from the two vixens.

"Don't you mean Zootube, David?" Evalyn asked him.

This caused him to stop what he was doing, and turn towards her his muzzle expression thoughtful before he answered her "No I meant Youtube. I noticed that last night when we were watching the news that the channel was ZNN, and not CNN."

"Hmm, how about MuzzleBook?" Lorelei suggested.

"You mean FaceBook?" David asked.

"Okay, this is a little freaky." Evalyn commented adding "There you go with another funny word like handy, what's a face?"

"Well look at how he used it, Evie. If I said muzzle, and he said face then surely they're synonyms." Lorelei told her daughter.

"You got it right on the nose." David told her adding "Don't take this the wrong way, but that was kind of sexy; I mean nothing is more of a turn on than a smart girl."

"Did you just say my mom is sexy?" Evalyn asked incredulously her muzzle expression a mix of shock, and mild off-putness.

"He sort of did. Thank you for the compliment by the way." Lorelei said a grin plastered on her muzzle.

"To clarify Evalyn I find intelligence in females quite sexy, and more attractive than a pretty figure, and for the record I think you both are very pretty though I will probably think the same thing about every vixen." David said with a shrug lifting his paws pad side up in the gesture.

"You are definitely a strange one David, or rather certainly uncommon for a male. Most males I know care more about a female's tail so to speak, and whether, or not they can get in her pants. They also don't openly admit they find females of another species attractive." Lorelei told him though there was no malice, or disdain in her statement.

"Well most males are stupid, but as a male I can't say I'm not generally the same way though I don't think I'm gonna try to get stuck to a female like that any time soon. Thank you, I actually take being called strange, and weird as compliments. Also just so we're clear like I told Evalyn, and Kiera both yesterday this goes for you as well: since I am relying on you such as I am, and therefore indebted to you it would be wrong of me to as Evalyn explained it's put chase your tail, and even if you were to insist I repay my debt to you in that fashion I would decline." David told her before turning back to his task of scrambling eggs adding while he whisked them with the fork "Also we may be specifically different species since I'm Canis Lupus, and you two're Vulpes Vulpes, but we're all Canidae, and children of the Wolf Mother so generally speaking we are the same species."

"Okay, I don't know what kind of good karma I earned in a previous life for the Wolf Mother to bring you into my life, but that you are the kind of mammal to be that way I am not questioning her wisdom, and if down the road you find yourself wanting to date my daughter I don't think I'll have a problem with that though I may want to date you myself." Lorelei said looking at him with obvious appreciation though he didn't notice as he got in the fridge for the half gallon of milk to add a splash to the eggs which once he'd done he swiftly put the milk back.

"Mom!" Evalyn exclaimed the white of her muzzle, and inside of her ears showing her blush.

"Duly noted though who's to say what the future holds." David responded, and as he turned to look at Lorelei he saw Evalyn's still evident blush, and gave her a wink grinning when her blush deepened.

"I'm just being honest Evie." Lorelei told her daughter, and grinned seeing how she blushed before telling David "I see you know your way around a kitchen. A girl definitely appreciates a male who can cook."

"I . . . do . . ." David responded as her words caused him to consider this fact, and he felt the whisper of a memory taunt him "I can't say how I know to cook though, and something tells me remembering that answer will be painful. Anyway he who wants to eat had damn well better learn to cook for himself though I think in my experience being what a girl would consider a good catch doesn't exactly actually give me any luck with the ladies, but that's more a feeling really."

"Well, most girls are stupid." Lorelei replied in echo of his earlier statement which got David laughing heartily as he got out a pan, and put it on the stove to get hot.

While Lorelei finished preparing coffee for her daughter, and David also refilling her mug David went about cooking the eggs using a rubber spatula he got out of a vase which held such manner of kitchen implements. Evalyn, and Lorelei sat at the kitchen table just drinking their coffee while watching David cook his tail wagging idly as he worked. Once the eggs were just about done David went to where Lorelei had told him the plates were, and got three down before divvying up the eggs which would retain the heat from the pan, and finish cooking on their plates then put a little vegetable oil in the pan to help the turkey bacon crisp up before getting a few pieces going careful not to overload the pan.

Once the turkey bacon was done, and plated he served Lorelei, and Evalyn their plates first also giving them forks setting a third where he would sit then went for his plate, and coffee mug joining them at the table. He waited a moment for Lorelei, and Evalyn to both take bites of their food before he took his first bite. Despite the fact that he hadn't seasoned the eggs which he realized as he took his first bite he couldn't help closing his eyes as he savored them finding them even without salt, or pepper quite delicious. When he took his first bite of turkey bacon his tail with it's own mind spoke volumes wagging, and thumping against his chair which the two vixens found a little amusing though they too found the simple meal he'd prepared quite good freely telling him so to which he expressed gladness at their enjoyment of it. It didn't fail to surprise Lorelei, and Evalyn both how quickly he cleaned his plate though when he started licking the plate to be sure of it's cleanness Lorelei did chide him a bit that he should be mindful not to do that in public no matter how good he found his food.

"So what's the first order of business today once you two are done eating?" David asked as the two vixens still had at least a third of their food to finish.

"Well, I already have an appointment set up for you to see a doctor, and get checked out. After all you spent three days out in the woods, and as you've said don't really remember anything of your past." Lorelei answered.

"But I feel fine." David responded earning quite the stern motherly look from Lorelei at which his ears folded back against his skull, and his tail fell as he relented "Okay, I'll go."

"Wow, I thought that look only worked on me." Evalyn commented with a slight giggle.

"One doesn't argue with the mom when she is being mom. It doesn't matter if she's your mom, or not she's a mom therefore you obey." David told her with all seriousness.

"Good wolf." Lorelei told him with a grin patting his left paw with her right "I didn't even have to pull the 'The Wolf Mother entrusted your care to me so you listen to me' card. Anyway, from there I figured while I head to the office to see about what paperwork we need so you can actually get the documentation you need to get a job in the first place Evie could take you to the local mall to get you some actual clothes, and things. Perhaps Kiera would like to help too, what do you think Evie?"

"I'm sure she'd be more than happy to meet us there." Evalyn answered her mom.

"Thank you, Lorelei. As soon as I do get a job I will pay you back for every penny." David told her.

Once the girls were done with breakfast, and went to get dressed David busied himself doing the dishes that the making of breakfast had dirtied. By the time he had everything dried with a nearby kitchen towel, and put away the girls were dressed, and ready to go. Seeing Lorelei in a pair of black pants, and a light purple top, and Evalyn in a pair of black jeans with a simple black t-shirt David couldn't help complimenting them both on looking good.

After they left the apartment with Lorelei locking the door, and made their way outside they ran into the building manager who Lorelei informed that David would be staying with them for a while to which David felt the need to add that it would only be temporary since he was looking for work. The arctic she-wolf looked him up, and down with a raised eyebrow as she appraised him, but when she looked into his eyes which were sincere her expression shifted, and she unhesitatingly closed the distance between the two staring into his eyes intently.

"You two are some of my best tenants, and you always pay on time Lorelei so I'll trust your judgement, and allow you to put him up." the arctic she-wolf said to her while not taking her eyes off of David's adding "Though where did you find this wolf? He's clearly full grown, and tall for a grey wolf at that, but his eyes are like that of a cub stuck between turning from blue into amber, and there is Green in the yellow of them."

"Thank you for not giving them trouble over me." David spoke seriously before Lorelei had a chance to respond adding "They are true daughters of the Wolf Mother without whom I'd still be naked, and alone. I owe them my life."

"Would you believe me Veronica if I told you the Mother herself came to me in a dream, and told me she was sending me a wolf of hers who would need my help? Evie's the one who found him though; turns out that howling we'd all been hearing was him." Lorelei said noting how his words effected her landlord who backed away from him surprise written on her muzzle.

"I do believe you Lorelei. Though what is your name wolf? You give these vixens the highest praise a wolf could give another wolf with a sincerity a wolf would be hard pressed to have in saying the same for another canid." Veronica responded her incredulity clear in her voice.

"My name is David, Veronica, and if it so hard for another wolf to see all canidae as no less than brothers, and sisters then they are not worth their fur in the eyes of the Mother, or the Father for that matter." David said to her his voice deepening, and his hackles slightly rising as he spoke nearly vehement.

"You humble me with your words Wolf of the Mother, and Voice of the Father." Veronica replied lowering her posture, and exposing her throat to him as her tail curled between her legs.

"You do not need to submit to me sister." David said to her stepping forward to lift her muzzle looking into her eyes with an intensity in his own adding "I am not your alpha, and was merely speaking the truth."

Then his eyes softened, and he let her go giving her a smile which brought her tail back up wagging gently. After that they bid Veronica a farewell, and made their way to a nearby bus stop. They didn't have to wait long for their bus, and as they got on David couldn't help comment on finding it strange there was no fare to be paid which Lorelei explained was because due to the taxes they paid in the city most municipal services were free so to speak. This caused David to inquire as to what effect such surely high taxes had on the cost of living. As Lorelei explained the cost of living depended more on a mammal's size class which dictated which income, and tax brackets they fell under with smaller mammals generally earning, yet paying less than larger mammals, and that while there wasn't an income tax nearly everything else was taxed particularly food, and housing. When David expressed concern about being a financial burden to her Lorelei reassured him that she made good money working at the firm she did, was particularly proud of how well she saved, and that the slight increase in how much she spent on food wouldn't be too bad.

When they got to the hospital David followed Lorelei inside with Evalyn keeping pace at his side. After checking in with the receptionist they headed where indicated, and waited. While Lorelei was alert, but idly shifting her eyes around the room watching the mammals around them, and Evalyn had her smartphone in her paws occupying herself with her muzzlebook page David occupied himself with the smells of the place his eyes closed as he sniffed out each new scent before locking his eyes on whatever the source of each one was. Everywhere was the pervasive smell he already knew was of hospitals; that disinfectant, and iodine smell that was both of healing, and death, but with his nose as keen as it was it was so much stronger than what his mind said he was used to smelling, and it only served to tease him with more vague hints of things he simply couldn't recall. The unique smells attached to each of the mammals also in the waiting room were a distraction from that underlying scent, and a most welcome one at that. With great care he catalogued the scents that went with each of them; there was a polar bear, a grey wolf couple, an arctic wolf couple, and a snow leopard. He also couldn't help instinctively assessing the threat level the polar bear, and snow leopard might pose though this was more due to their size relative to him than anything else, and it was easy enough to discern that they weren't a threat at all since they were minding their own business.

Eventually a male arctic hare in teal scrubs entered garnering the attention of most of the mammals in the waiting room with his presence though when he called for "David Sauvage", and no one else moved David whose ears had perked at hearing his name looked curiously at Lorelei tilting his head as he did so who nodded indicating he was the mammal being called for.

"That's you." Lorelei added when David didn't quite make to move.

"Your last name his Sauvage?" Davi asked her as he rose so at least the hare would know he'd been heard.

"It is." Lorelei answered.

"Huh, you know that's French for wild? I only know that from the Gojira album title L'enfant Sauvage." David replied unable to hide a bit of his nervousness as he looked from her to the hare, and back again.

"Do you want us to come with you?" Lorelei asked as a mother understanding his hesitation, and unable to not at least grin inwardly at his kit, or rather cub like behavior.

"Please?" David asked hopefully.

Much to David's surprise it was Evalyn not Lorelei who was up first, and already going to follow the hare causing him to catch up after her followed by Lorelei. After the hare led them to an exam room which they entered David couldn't help his sniffing towards the hare in open curiosity though this earned him a sort of chiding look from Lorelei, and an amused one from Evalyn.

"Do I smell funny?" the hare asked him raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, no. I'm sorry if that seemed rude of me, but I'm not really familiar with any of the scents my nose is picking up. I've also never been so close to a . . . you're not a bunny to be in this kind of climate, but look like one so I'm guessing arctic hare?" David answered.

"I am indeed an arctic hare. Thank you actually for not calling me a bunny since I am quite different from a rabbit though we do look similar I'll admit, and no offense taken, but can I ask what you mean when you say you're not familiar with what you smell?" the hare responded his demeanor friendly.

"I feel like I'm smelling the world for the first time, and even smells I recognize like pine, or eggs, or that hospital smell you know that just makes you think of death have a new depth, and range. If that makes any sense." David replied.

"Hmm, okay well you go ahead, and wait here. Doctor Woods will be with you shortly." the hare said before leaving closing the door behind him as he went.

David turned from facing the door, and seeing Lorelei, and Evalyn occupy the two chairs that were in the room took a look at the exam table before sighing, and getting up on it on all fours. Once on it David carefuly turned around so he was again facing the door, and laid down on his stomach settling down to wait for the arrival of the doctor. They didn't have to wait long before a female grey wolf in blue scrubs, and the white coat all doctors seem to wear as a symbol of their profesion entered the room.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Woods." the she-wolf introduced herself as she came in though what else she was going to say seemed to die before she could voice it as her eyes widened from surprise at seeing David lying on the exam table such as he was.

"Hello, I'm David." David likewise introduced himself with a grin.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Sauvage." Dr. Woods replied quickly regaining her composure, and asking "Can I ask why you're lying on the table like that?"

"I was expecting to wait a bit longer, and got comfortable. Though before we really get into this doc I have a very important question to ask you." David answered her looking her in the eye.

"What would you like to know?" Dr. Woods inquired.

"Well it concerns doctor-patient confidentiality. I'd like to know that whatever we discuss will stay between us." David responded.

"I assure you I take the privacy of my patients very seriously Mr. Sauvage. Breach of that confidentiality without a warrant from the authorities would constitute me loosing my license." Dr. Woods said sincerely.

"Good, just double checking. Alright first things first Sauvage isn't my last name; I am just borrowing it from these two lovely vixens I am indebted to for ease of use." David told her before continuing "I'm sure you're here under the assumption this is just another routine check up, but after I explain why I have no last name at the moment this'll get a little more involved than that. So you know though I promise to be a good patient."

"Okay. Why don't you have a last name?" Dr. Woods asked him curiously.

"Because I don't remember it. Currently my earliest memory is waking up three days ago in the woods north of here completely without clothes though I still insist that for me to be truly naked I'd need to be shaved furless. I can tell you I know my name is David, and I know me, but as for how I know what I know, or memories from before I woke up I've got nothing." David explained.

"Well, alright. Let's give you a once over, and see if the rest of you is okay then we'll see about the rest." Dr. Woods responded.

"I imagine that means an M.R.I. is in order. I don't think I've had one of those." David said with a grin as he rose up on all fours wagging his tail slightly.

"That would be correct." Dr. Woods stated as she got closer then asked "Are you more comfortable on all fours?"

"Yeah, I mean after being shown how it's done I can walk upright just fine, but this way still feels more natural." David answered.

"Most cubs before they get in the practice of walking upright would agree with you. Which if you really don't remember your cubhood, or anything else makes sense; you're using your instincts to compensate." Dr. Woods commented as she began her physical examination of him.

"Hehe you have no idea doc. I swear I'm having to relearn what everything smells like, and it's making me want to smell everything." David said making small talk while she poked, and prodded him feeling out his lymph nodes among other things adding "Though speaking of smells if I wanted to buy a bird, or whole live chicken could I do that, and where would I go?"

"Are you interested in keeping a pet?" the doctor asked before telling him as she held a stethoscope to his ribs "Before you answer that give me a good deep breath."

After doing as she'd asked David answered "No, if I kept it alive it'd be to fatten it up before I ate it, and though I'd make sure it's wings were clipped so it couldn't fly away I'd give it the chance to at least run away first."

This of course caused the doctor along with both Lorelei, and Evalyn to look at him as if he were pulling their leg with the good doctor asking him "Hehe, you are kidding right?"

"Oh, I'm dead serious. I know I could've gone a lot longer than three days with just snow for water, but you try being hungry, and smelling birds just out of reach; I'd pay a chicken rancher double it's worth for just one fucking chicken to chase around a corral, catch, and then eat raw after I pluck the feathers with my teeth. I actually had a dream where I'd just started to chase one before Evalyn's friend Kiera knocked on the door, and woke me up." David answered her honestly his tone conveying that he really wasn't joking.

At his statement the doctor couldn't help taking a step back, and looking at him as if he'd grown two heads which caused him to laugh at her muzzle expression.

"So that's what you were dreaming about. No wonder you growled at the front door." Evalyn commented unable to not giggle adding "I'm glad I caught you dreaming on camera."

"Really? You recorded me dreaming in my sleep? I wanna see." David said to her turning to look at her.

"Why were you recording him sleep?" Lorelei asked her daughter with a raised eyebrow.

"I've never seen anyone dream like that. He like moves in his sleep; his feet were twitching, and everything." Evalyn answered.

At that the doctor couldn't help her own chuckle as she added "My husband is the same way, that sounds about right for a 'chasing' dream."

From there after they all shared a light laugh Dr. Woods took a small blood sample then went to take it to the lab, and get his MRI scheduled leaving them to wait. While they killed time David hopped off the table to see the video Evalyn had taken of him sleeping which he watched while resting his head on her lap. He, and Lorelei both chuckled at it, and David recommended Evalyn share it on muzzlebook which she did adding the caption 'When a wolf dreams of hunting chickens' which Kiera was the first to comment on saying 'So that's why he growled when I knocked, lol.'

After that David felt like laying down again so he got back up on the exam table. He was actually just starting to doze a little when Dr. Woods came back to get him for that MRI. David followed her after he'd gotten down from the exam table, and back up on his hindpaws. Once she'd led him to the room where the MRI machine was housed he was given ear plugs then told to lie on the table that would move him into the machine with the doctor telling him to hold as still as possible. Even with the earplugs the machine was quite loud while it ran, but thanks to the plugs wasn't unbearable. Once it was done she had a physician's assistant lead him back to the exam room to wait while she looked over the results.

"So, what's the verdict doc?" David asked when Dr. Woods reentered the exam room having this time tried sitting on the edge of the exam table more like a normal mammal though he couldn't help fidgeting a bit as he got used to the pressure this put on his lower spine.

"Well, David you seem to be perfectly fine. There's no obvious signs of head trauma, or recovery from any recent head injury. Your blood test came back too, and the only thing noteworthy is that you are in the select club of canid universal donors." Dr. Woods told him.

"Yay, a clean bill of health. I guess that just means if my memories do come back they'll do so in their own sweet time, and I had better make sure to donate regularly then." David responded as he hopped off the exam table.

"I'm not a psychologist, but the cause of your amnesia could be trauma of that nature; you should see about seeing one, and not trying to force yourself to remember anything." Dr. Woods told him.

"If things come back then they come back. What matters is if I can function day to day, and I seem to be managing. Once I have a job I will make time to see one." David replied turning to face her.

"I know that look, you two should make sure that he does." Dr. Woods addressed Evalyn, and Lorelei before she really noticed David's eyes taking a half step towards him saying "Woah, blue eyes in wolves is an extremely recessive gene, and your irises have an outer blue ring. I've never heard of, or seen such a thing."

"Okay doc. I really will. I swear the next female to tell me that is going to give me a complex hahaha." David responded with a short laugh.

With that they made their way out of the hospital. Before they got on the bus that would take them where their paths diverged Lorelei entrusted David with one of her credit cards admonishing him to not go crazy. He assured her he wouldn't openly telling her he despised the very principle of credit since it only created debts. While Lorelei got off only a few stops after they got on the bus Evalyn, and David took it a couple stops farther before they disembarked for the bus that would take them to the mall. Evalyn received a text from Kiera letting them know that she'd meet them there, and would text again when she got there.

Even though he felt perfectly comfortable in what clothes he had on, and would've been just fine without them David couldn't help feeling slightly underdressed, but following Evalyn dispelled that twinge of nervousness with the aim of acquiring sufficient attire for at least a couple days. While Evalyn led the way towards Kiera he kept his head on a swivel curiously drinking in their surroundings. While the mall exterior was the same drab layered in ice appearance of nearly every other building the interior was well lit, and not without color. The wall of scents from the gathered mammals was overpowering at first, but being able to focus on Evalyn's scent helped him immeasurably to move passed it. The mix of cold weather mammals milling about the mall was more fascinating than it would be frightening simply because prey, and predator alike were freely interacting. There was a tinge of nervousness lingering in the air he could smell, but it made sense to David considering what had been explained to him concerning 'Savage' mammals, and it was clear everyone was just trying to get back to business as usual.

They met Kiera by a fountain that was the focal point past the entrance which from the mist rising past the arc of the top most water jet David could tell was heated, and as they got closer to it he could practically smell the heat. After Evalyn, and he had both greeted her with a hug Kiera insisted on leading them to the first clothing store since she had experience shopping for her brother to which David agreed since they knew the place while he did take a moment to at least get an idea of the general layout using one of the nearby directories. Along the way David got distracted by a kiosk selling sunglasses, and insisted on getting a pair.

"What do you say Evalyn?" David asked her as he stopped, and gestured towards the kiosk.

"Those do come in, how did you put it, handy." Evalyn answered him with a smirk.

"Hehe, that they do." David agreed before looking around at the different styles seeming to gravitate towards the section with aviators.

"Yes, hide your eyes. Every single she-wolf will stop you in your tracks." Kiera added playfully.

"That is my intent." David replied trying on the cheapest pair he could find.

"Okay, you look ridiculous." Kiera told him trying to muffle a snorted laugh with her paw.

"I think they kinda work on you." Evalyn assured him giving Kiera a look.

"I have one vote of approval. That is all I need." David said to Kiera with a smug grin.

After checking with Evalyn that the twenty buck price wasn't very exorbitant David purchased the pair of aviators he'd picked, and promptly put them on. From there it wasn't far to the first clothing store which sold a general mix of styles. After Kiera explained to him how the sizing-scale worked she tried to get him into a pair of jeans, but David just shook his head at her having found some black cargo pants that were more to his liking. While they were there David made sure to pick up a package of boxers, and they all three shared a laugh in agreement that they were quite necessary. Thanks to Evalyn David chose to get a simple black button-up long sleeve shirt, and after they purchased everything with David getting two pair of the black cargo pants she lead them to the next store which catered to the more goth inclined.

"Okay, I could get a little lost in here." David told them as they entered the shop.

"This store isn't that large." Evalyn responded with a light chuckle.

"Don't worry we'll find you. You're kinda hard to miss." Kiera added jokingly.

As they went about browsing a bit David sort of got stuck staring at the selection of collars until Evalyn dragged him away.

"So you're into that kind of thing, huh?" Kiera asked teasingly while David having been pulled in a different direction focused on the shirts.

"What do you mean? I just want one." David replied his eyes widening as he spied a band t-shirt with familiar album art.

"They're just accesories. That was her lame attempt to sound kinky." Evalyn told him watching him zero in on the shirt rack to find one his size.

"Rule thirty-four . . . the things I have seen . . ." Kiera responded before asking David "So, you like Metallica?"

"Rule thirty-four is one of the main things the internet is for." David agreed answering "Ride the Lightning is my favorite album of theirs; Fade to Black is my jam."

"What other bands do you like?" Evalyn asked him clearly trying to change the subject.

"I wouldn't know where to begin. I'll listen to just about anything." David answered after getting one of the shirts in his size, and perusing what else they had.

After he found a shirt with just the band name Gojira on it David insisted they'd gotten him enough clothes for what his needs were, and could go about getting lunch in the food court. Once he'd paid for the two shirts Kiera, and Evalyn led the way to the nearest bathrooms so he could change. While the girls waited outside for him David having only carried in what he needed found an empty stall to put on a pair of boxers, one of the pairs of cargo pants, and his Ride the Lightning t-shirt. As he redressed himself David found the task easier than it had been the first time.

As he was exiting the bathroom with the sweatpants, and shirt he'd been wearing tucked under his arm David couldn't help the happy expression on his muzzle, or his tail's wagging. When he got nearer to where he'd left Evalyn, and Kiera however his hackles rose, and his tail stiffened.

"Come on Kiera, why don't you ditch the fox, and hang out with a real wolf" a male grey wolf in blue jeans, and a white t-shirt was saying to her.

"Why don't you just leave us alone for once?" Evalyn responded exasperatedly.

"I wasn't talking to you foxy." the wolf told her taking a step towards Kiera, and pushing Evalyn back a step.

"Don't touch my friends Karl, and I'd rather spend time with the real wolf behind you." Kiera told him defensively getting in front of Evalyn.

"You should back off." David added sternly making his presence known.

"Oh, yeah? What're you gonna do if I don't?" the wolf called Karl replied turning towards David with a sneer.

"I will mount your ass like the bitch you are." David told him not hiding his fangs as he spoke.

At that Karl took a swing at him that may have come out of nowhere, but David found easy to dodge, and grabbing the wrist of the paw thrown in his direction he bent Karl's arm behind him then proceeded to make good on his words bending the younger wolf over, and thrusting his hips into him. To say the two other wolves who'd been with Karl were shocked to see their friend so humiliated would be an understatement as their jaws fell, but there was nothing they could do. After a pawful of thrusts David felt his message had gone across, and let Karl go telling him to 'Get the fuck lost.'

Karl's response after stumbling forward was to reach with the arm that had been restrained for a switchblade he pulled out trying to take a backslash at David. With a simple back step David avoided getting cut then again grabbed the offending wrist which he struck causing the small knife to clatter to the floor before he struck upwards against Karl's elbow breaking the arm quite severely to the point bone could be seen clearly protruding. With the howl of pain he let loose Karl left his throat exposed, and David went to exploit the opening.

"David, stop!" Evalyn exclaimed at him as she saw him about to lunge with his fangs towards the younger wolf's throat, her words bringing him to his senses.

"For drawing that knife I could kill you in self defense, but I will show you mercy thanks to Evalyn. She has saved your life. If you even think for a second of retaliating just because your pride is wounded I will not hesitate to eviscerate you with my fangs, and eat your liver. The same will go for every wolf you get behind you." David told Karl pulling him closer by his wounded arm, and shaking it for good measure before releasing him.

After releasing the now injured wolf to fall to the floor in pain David turned towards Evalyn remorse written on his muzzle before he saw the approaching security guard a polar bear, and swiftly held up both his paws in surrender. The guard seemed clearly stunned by the scene, but followed his training.

"The police, and medics are on their way. Nobody is going anywhere." the guard said sternly resting a paw on the taser he carried.

"Understood." David responded with a nod keeping his paws raised.

It surprisingly didn't take long for the ZPD to show up since there had been officers on patrol nearby, and they were followed by the paramedics. While the male arctic wolf, and snow leopard medics swiftly attended to the wolf Kiera had called Karl the officers who were a male grey wolf, and a tigress took control of the scene. After the male grey wolf had cuffed David as per procedure he questioned him while his partner spoke with Evalyn, and Kiera.

"What is your name?" the grey wolf asked him.

"David, officer." David answered.

"Alright then David just what happened here?" the officer inquired.

"Ostensibly officer we were here because I needed clothes. You know just a regular day at the mall. I went into the bathroom to put on what I'd bought, and when I came out I find some punk being a dick to my friends. When he pushed Evalyn I told him to back off, and he challenged me to see if I'd do anything so I told him I'd mount his ass like the bitch he was. He swung at me for that, but I just grabbed his wrist, and twisted his arm behind him like you know how to do. I made good on my word, and when I let him go again telling him to fuck off he pulled the knife, and took a swing so I broke his arm after I disarmed him. It was self defense, and I'm sure one of the security cameras caught it since we're so close to the bathrooms." David told the male grey wolf calmly though he paused a bit pensively before he added concern heavy in his eyes "I did what I needed to do, but now I'm really fucking worried about retaliation for it. I know how people like that are; I hope you can express to that boy's father, or alpha that I don't want any further conflict over this."

"You had better hope there is security footage to back that up. You really did a number on that cubs arm." The wolf officer told him before turning, and keeping David in his line of sight retrieved the switchblade with a glove placing it in an evidence bag.

"I know where the surveillance room is. Can you make sure he doesn't go anywhere?" the wolf officer asked the security guard.

"I will, officer." the guard replied.

"If he tries to run don't hesitate to tase him." the wolf officer told the guard who nodded in response.

"If I surrendered why would I run?" David asked though he was ignored.

After the wolf officer wrote on the evidence bag he gave it to his tigress partner who had let the two wolves that had been with Karl go. While the wolf officer went to review the security footage the tigress officer joined the polar bear security guard in keeping an eye on David crossing her arms across her chest.

"Can I at least sit, officer?" David asked her plainly.

"Go ahead." the tigress answered him, and watching as he curled his legs under him said to him "I didn't catch your name."

"It's David, officer." he replied with a nod.

"After what you did that cub why didn't you run, David?" the tigress asked raising an eyebrow curiously.

"I only did what I did in self defense after he pulled that knife; besides if I really wanted to run now, which would be stupid by the way, you could easily eviscerate me." David answered her causing her eyes to widen in shock as he added "You could even do it faster than this polar bear could get his jaws around my neck."

"What is wrong with you?" the tigress officer asked incredulously adding "What in Gaia's green earth would make you even think we'd ever use that kind of force?"

"Seriously, that is just sickening to think of." the security guard commented with a frown.

"There's nothing wrong with me. I'm not going to resist you in any way so there's no need for you to go that far, but that doesn't mean you don't have the claws for it." David said to her with a shrug adding "Hell with a single pounce, and a bite you could have me dead."

"You have the right to remain silent. Please use it." the tigress officer told him flatly.

"I'm sorry, I've never been this close to a tiger." David replied with a slight frown continuing "I hope you'll forgive my morbidity; I tend to put my foot in my mouth when I talk to pretty girls. So how do you like your job?"

"At least you apologized . . . Did I just hear you correctly?" the tigress officer responded again raising an eyebrow this time with a slight grin.

"I was just being honest officer, I meant no disrespect." David quickly said in reply bowing his head.

"None taken." the tigress officer told him with a chuckle adding "As for how I like my job? I love it; It's both challenging, and rewarding. So, David what's up with the shades indoors?"

"Well I'd take them off, and show you officer, but I'm currently unable to use my paws. If you want to take them off for me, and see for yourself I don't mind." David answered her with a grin as he shrugged.

At that the tigress officer took a step towards him, and with a single paw lifted the aviators from his muzzle allowing him to truly lock his gaze on her's.

"Holy . . ." the tigress trailed off before she quickly replaced his aviators in front of his eyes adding quickly "Okay, yeah; keep those hidden."

"Hey, partner I've seen the footage, and have a copy. Let's get those cuffs off of him." the wolf officer said as he approached causing the tigress to back away hastily as she tried masking the startled expression on her muzzle.

"So it was self defense?" the tigress officer asked curiously while the wolf went about uncuffing David.

"What was self defense?" Lorelei asked as she came upon the scene of David being freed from the pawcuffs her voice causing his, Evalyn's, and Kiera's ears to fold back their tails falling limp.

"Ma'am you must be this kit's mother. Another wolf their age was acting aggressively towards your daughter, and her friend. David here defended them, and himself from that cub." the wolf officer explained to her raising a paw reassuringly before turning pointedly to David "Despite your actions being in self defense you're lucky you stopped when you did, or else you'd be going to jail. Am I understood?"

"I understand officer; loud, and clear." David assured him with a nod.

"Good, then there better not be another incident like this in the future." the wolf officer responded curtly.

"If something like this happens again I'll show more restraint, but what if he seeks retaliation?" David replied with a frown.

"Hold on a minute. Just what did you do David?" Lorelei interjected.

"He pushed Evalyn, and I told him to back off. It escalated from there, and after he pulled a switchblade I broke his arm." David explained succinctly.

"Is this true officer?" Lorelei asked the wolf.

"It is, ma'am. Would you like to press any charges." the wolf officer responded.

"I don't think going that far is a good idea." David said swiftly.

"Why not?" Lorelei asked him arching her brow with a frown daring him to have a good reason.

"Because he may have started it, but I was going to take it too far, and Evalyn is the one who saved his life. Your daughter saved his life. What kind of message would that send if you had him arrested? That would only give them cause to seek revenge, and the idea is to solve this with diplomacy not war." David told her sincerely.

"Fine David, but we'll be talking about this later." Lorelei told him scowling.

"Excuse me, what do you mean you were going to take it too far? After breaking that cub's arm as badly as you did I'd say that was taking it too far already." the tigress officer asked him.

"I was going to rip his throat out with my fangs ending the threat he posed permanently before Evalyn stopped me. Now you know why I would expect you to respond with lethal force if I ran." David answered her plainly with a shrug.

At that the tigress officer, and Lorelei both could only look at him in shock their mouths agape prompting the wolf officer to interject.

"It's lucky for the both of you that you didn't do that, and lucky for us as well. The last thing we need after everything that's gone on is a pred being that violent even in self defense which given the circumstances wouldn't get you out of spending several years in jail." the wolf said with a frown.

"Okay, that's kind of bullshit; let's take this hypothetically to where it could've ended up. If he had managed to stab me he could've scored a lucky strike, and nicked an artery, or a vital organ at which point I'd be bleeding out right now while me having bitten out his jugular would be quite even as far as self defense goes. Unless you're all afraid that after surviving such a situation a predator like me would develop a taste for blood, and start looking at all of you like food which to be honest with you I find laughable because being able to make friends with a hare, or any other prey automatically takes them off of my dinner table. Though consider it duly noted officers that using these fangs of mine in combat is a no go." David said matter of factly before musing idly "Though I wouldn't mind a cat for dessert hehe food of a different sort."

"You did not just say that." the tigress officer said looking at him curiously.

"Yes I did officer" David told her with adding "Though I was just thinking aloud I would have said it to you intentionally if doing so weren't grounds for you arresting me. I see mammals of all walks gathered here in this place, and getting along. Are we not all brothers, and sisters in the eyes of the gods? Then what's wrong with ignoring species as a barrier to interpersonal relationships?"

The wolf officer cleared his throat though it didn't completely mask the growl that David clearly heard, and if her muzzle expression was anything to go by so too did the tigress before saying "Not many wolves would share that sentiment, and you would do well not to flirt with my partner. We're done here, and I recommend you stay out of trouble from here on out."

"Then those wolves surely bring tears to the Mother's eyes, and anger the Father with their blindness to the fact that we are all not so different from each other." David said removing his aviators so the wolf officer could see the seriousness in his eyes before telling him with a grin as his eyes softened "At least you are not such a wolf if that growl is anything to go by, brother. You have my word I'll stay out of trouble unless it finds me."

At that the wolf officer simply shook his head, and began walking away followed a few steps behind by the tigress. As David watched them leave he couldn't help grinning to himself as he noted the scent shift in the tigress.

"Twenty bucks says they end up going out." David commented to his companions.

"I told you no biting others!" Evalyn scolded him ignoring his comment as she swatted his nose having to jump slightly in order to do so since he was a foot, and a half taller than her.

"I am sorry Evalyn." David responded submissively with a whine.

"Well we better get out of here ourselves before you attract any more attention." Lorelei added frowning at him as she too gave his nose a swat with more force than Evalyn had used.

With that Lorelei led them out of the mall with her daughter's paw in her own while David followed his ears tucked back against his skull, and his tail dragging limply Kiera at his side. Once outside the mall Lorelei headed for the bus stop in silence, and in silence they took the next bus until she pulled the cord for the stop just outside the Tundra Town fish market. David simply followed obediently not really noting how his body language caused a few mammals to stare as he followed behind the two foxes.

Once inside the market however David's demeanor shifted as he lifted his nose into the air drinking in the smell of fish unable to keep from drooling while his tail started wagging prompting Kiera to grab it playfully with a grin. Lorelei led them towards one of the several food stalls within the market, and Evalyn echoed David's body language as she too drooled in anticipation seeing where her mom was taking them.

After they'd sat at a table, and had been brought menus they perused them still in silence that was only broken by a snow leopardess who took their drink orders. Evalyn, and Kiera ordered cola while Lorelei ordered iced tea, and David ordered water asking for a whole pitcher assuring their waitress he was quite serious when she looked at him skeptically. Once she'd brought them their drinks including a full pitcher of water much to David's gratitude she took their orders for food. While Evalyn ordered fish, and chips substituting sweet potato fries for regular, and Kiera ordered the same. Lorelei ordered the grilled salmon with asparagus, and David ordered clam chowder in a bread bowl before asking Lorelei if it was okay if he ordered some of the spicy mussels which were a house specialty to which she gave her assent. While they waited for their food the girls sipped at their drinks while David easily drank nearly three glasses of water before they'd even gotten through half of their drinks making it evident he'd had reason for requesting a full pitcher of water. When their waitress brought their food her eyes widened seeing David had about drank half the water pitcher, and when she commented that he was drinking like they were in Sahara Square he couldn't help grinning at her responding that he had the thirst of a thousand demons which got a chuckle from her before she walked away. While he watched her walk away David couldn't help feeling another vague sensation as if his response to their waitress tickled at something he should remember, but was just at the edge of his mind.

"You really are into cats too, huh?" Kiera asked him before tossing a sweet potato fry into her mouth breaking him from his thoughts.

"Well, maybe. I mean I'm not gonna lie I think they're definitely attractive, and something tells me I'd have decent luck scoring with one if I tried." David answered her as if picking over his words with a shrug.

"So are you a virgin?" Kiera asked bluntly causing Lorelei, and Evalyn to look at her pointedly to which she only shrugged.

"Uh, haha no." David told her a little surprised by her question adding "I mean I know I'm not, but I don't remember having sex. I guess that'll be something I relearn as I go along."

After that they were quiet for a moment as Lorelei, and Evalyn took a couple bites of their food with David as he had at breakfast waiting until they'd at least taken a bite of their food before tucking into his. Neither of the vixens really picked up on it because after so many centuries of being given the short end of the stick vulpine culture had shifted away from territorialism over food, and towards more communal dining structures, but Kiera noticed since for wolves old customs died hard, and they still held that those with higher standing in a pack ate first which to her spoke volumes about how David viewed his own status compared to the three of them which surprised her. Kiera had expected that seeing her eat freely since they were in a social setting amongst friends he'd pick up on the que, and do likewise which is why she'd done it, but as she thought on it it occurred to her that without his memories he might not actually know anything of wolf social customs.

"Are you crying?" Evalyn asked David as she looked up at him from a bite of her fried fish.

"It's that good." David responded before getting another spoonful of his chowder, and asking her "Want to try some?"

"Sure." Evalyn said to him remembering how Kiera had explained to her wolf customs concerning the sharing of food, and that it would be rude of her to refuse.

At that David simply brought the spoonful of chowder towards her muzzle careful not to spill any, and seeing him actually feed her Kiera's eyes widened. It was one thing to share off your plate with someone for wolves, and a whole other to actually feed them from your plate even if the one you were sharing food with wasn't a wolf. Allowing another to take from your plate was the kind of thing a wolf would freely do for packmates, or those of equivalent status, but actively giving someone that wasn't a cub a bite of your food sent a clear message to any wolf watching that who you were sharing with meant more to you than that. Seeing the way David smiled at seeing Evalyn enjoying the morsel of his soup sent a spike of jealousy through Kiera that quickly faded when in the next moment he was offering her a spoonful of his chowder as well which she happily accepted.

David had smelled the scent shift in Kiera, but mistook it for her too wanting to try his food, and he happily offered to share with her thinking nothing of it likewise offering Lorelei some as well though she insisted he didn't need to feed her.

"Nonsense, it's already in my spoon so just say ah." David told her as if she was the one being crazy.

Lorelei gave him a look that said 'I'm not a kit', but it only made him grin at her as he moved his spoon closer to her muzzle. Seeing him feed Lorelei lent credence to Kiera's thought that he really had no clue as to the meaning in his actions, and she decided to put it to the test.

"Want to try a fry?" Kiera asked him holding out a sweet potato fry in her paw.

"Don't mind if I do." David answered her happily leaning forward to take it from her with his muzzle closing his eyes as he did so careful not to get her paw with his fangs though his tongue did brush against it adding after he'd swallowed the fry "Thanks for that, I love sweet potatoes."

"No problem." Kiera responded with a grin though she folded her ears against her head to hide the blush in them from feeling his tongue against her paw. As she watched him move to his plate of mussels, and lifting one of the half shells to his muzzle slurp down it's contents scraping his top fangs along it to make sure he got it clean before he offered the three of them a mussel if they wanted it she came to the conclusion he truly didn't know anything of wolf customs.

"So, now that we have some food in us I think a proper explanation is in order. Don't you?" Lorelei asked her daughter, Kiera, and David after she'd slurped down her own mussel being the only one to accept David's offer of sharing since her daughter, and Kiera weren't exactly fond of the shellfish.

"Karl is sort of the school bully. At least towards anyone he thinks he can get away with being a jerk to. Evie, and I were minding our own business waiting for David to change his clothes when he spotted us, and decided to start shit. Like I'd ever be interested in anyone who's mean to my friends." Kiera was the first to answer her, and Lorelei could tell from the look she leveled at David that she was definitely interested in him though he seemed oblivious.

"We all have the right to freedom of speech even if what some choose to say should earn them a broken jaw. He may not have pushed Evalyn hard, but that was a line I wasn't just going to stand there, and let him cross. He should've seen from my body language when I told him to back off that I meant business, but instead he dared me to do something about it so I told him I'd mount his ass like the bitch he was. That is when he swung at me, and after twisting his arm behind him, and bending him over I made good on my word then told him to fuck off. Then he pulled the switchblade, and took a slash at me so I disarmed him, and broke his arm. I would've torn his throat out with my fangs since he left it exposed, but thankfully Evalyn stopped me. To be honest with you I don't know how I seem to know how to handle myself in a fight, and would rather avoid conflict if at all possible, but sometimes war is the only option." David told her his side of the story.

"You didn't seriously mount him did you?" Lorelei asked incredulously knowing full well that for a wolf to do that to another was a rather humiliating display of dominance.

"He so did, and Karl has had a real alpha doing that to him coming for a long while." Kiera said seriously.

"It should be common sense that you don't fuck with a mammal larger than you. It's why I fully expected that tigress officer to maul my ass if I gave her reason to. I guess some wolves are just that stupid." David added with a shrug.

"Says the wolf who lacks the common sense not to use his fangs in a fight." Lorelei told him pointedly with a frown adding "The last thing any of us preds need is another one of us being that violent on the news, and without night howlers no less."

"Honto ni gomen nasai, haha-ue" David replied lowering his muzzle, and folding his ears back.

"It's fine, so long as you understand." Lorelei responded her expression softening before telling him "After dinner you, and I should have a drink."

"Did you turn him into a statue?" Evalyn asked waving her paw in front of David's head to no effect.

"Perhaps we should have a drink." David answered Lorelei before turning to Evalyn, and telling her "I . . . came close to remembering something."

"You're crying." Kiera noted seeing a tear escape his right eye.

"It wasn't something happy." David said to her closing his eyes, and giving his head a shake before opening them again.

"What was it? Can I ask?" Evalyn inquired resting her paw over his forearm.

"Haha-ue is a way to say Mother in Japanese. It's the way I prefer to say it, and I will never get to use it again with my own mother. At least that's what my gut is telling me though either way it doesn't matter; I am still alive, and can put one foot in front of the other." David answered her.

"Okay, on a different subject. David, you don't remember anything of wolf customs do you?" Kiera asked hoping to shift their conversation.

"I would say I know nothing of them, but what makes you bring it up?" David responded curiously.

"Even in a social setting you waited for us to eat first then you didn't just share your food with us you fed us. It's kinda a mixed signal when you act as if we're above you then treat us as if we're more than just packmates to you." Kiera told him.

"Hmm, I think I get what you mean not that I'd have ever looked at it that way. If we are a pack then yes you are all three above me, and as it stands you're the closest thing to family I have; I would be remiss if I didn't freely share with you." David replied.

"If you had simply let us take from your plate, sure, but you insisted on feeding us, and we're not cubs." Kiera responded.

"Okay, now you're just reading too much into it. So what if I actively gave you my food?" David said with a shrug.

"It's the kind of thing you'd do if you saw us as mates since we're not related by blood." Kiera told him exasperatedly burying her muzzle in her paw.

"Ah, I see." Lorelei said with a light laugh before asking him "Do you still not get it, David?"

"Okay, so mates share kills what else is new? I'm not trying to court either you, and still would feed you from my own plate." David answered her.

"Kiera wouldn't you say he needs a crash course in wolf ettiquette?" Lorelei asked her.

"I would. I'll ask my parents if it's cool to have him over tomorrow." Kiera responded.

"What would you do if you wanted to go out with one us?" Evalyn asked him curiously.

"I'd tell you for one thing, but who knows if we'll get to that point?" David responded with a shrug.

"So is it true Evalyn you get bullied at school?" Lorelei asked her daughter quite seriously.

"Other than Karl being a jerk, most just leave me alone. It's not that bad." Evalyn tried to assure her mother who looked at as if she didn't believe her. A look that was echoed on David's muzzle.

"Usually it is only Karl, or one of his friends, but you're only saying that Evie because as serious as the teachers are about ending the vocal shit they miss the less vocal stuff." Kiera commented.

"People can think whatever they like that doesn't make it true." Evalyn stated firmly.

"Yet you expected me to be suspicious of you when we met, and I was the one naked running out of the woods." David said to her with a grin before adding seriously "Just because people view us as less doesn't mean we are."

"I never said it didn't get to me; how could it not? And I know that." Evalyn replied with a frown.

After that they each focused on their food since it was starting to get cold. By the time their waitress brought the check David had completely drained the pitcher of water while he waited for the girls to finish eating since he'd demolished his bread bowl. Once Lorelei had paid using cash they made their way outside.

From the fish market Lorelei led them down the street to a nearby phone store where her credit card back in paw she insisted on getting David a phone since he'd need one when he found a job. David agreed with her, but insisted one of the cheaper prepaid flip-phones would be sufficient. Evalyn suggested he'd get more use out of a basic smartphone pointing out one that didn't cost much more than the flip-phone he was looking at, and Kiera added that Zoogle was a necessity. David simply looked at Lorelei waiting for her approval which she gave telling him that they were right in more than one way.

It didn't take long to make the purchase, and get the phone activated with the four of them exchanging numbers in short order. Kiera's mom called her to tell her that she was staying late at the bakery that was the family business, and her dad needed a paw with dinner. Kiera joked with her mom about how indecisive her dad was when it came to cooking, and told her that she'd be home soon.

On the bus ride that would both take them towards Lorelei's apartment, and stop near where Kiera lived they didn't really talk much until it was time for Kiera to get off at which they said their goodbyes with Kiera telling David that she'd call him later. The rest of the way back to Lorelei's apartment seemed to fly by to David though that was probably due to how he was lost in his thoughts. He may have tried to play it off back at the fish market, but it truly did bother him the way he felt in his gut that he'd never see his mother, or any of the people he cared about again not that he could at the moment remember them. When the bus reached their stop it wasn't until Lorelei, and Evalyn were up, and towards the back door of the bus that David noticed, and followed suit.

It was essentially on autopilot that David followed Lorelei, and Evalyn to their building, and up to their apartment. Neither vixen really noticed that he'd gone back to walking on all fours, which he had when they were climbing the stairs, until they were at their door. Both Lorelei, and Evalyn shared a concerned look with each other having noticed the look in David's eyes as if he wasn't really there, and as the three of them entered the apartment Evalyn reminding David that he'd wanted to show her that musician he'd mentioned that morning suggested he follow her to her room where he could do so. Her actually talking to him seemed to get a reaction out of him which was to smile at her, and nod that they took as at least a good sign.

In her room Evalyn sat at her desk, and fired up her laptop with David sitting next to her on the floor resting his head against her. While they waited for her laptop to boot up Evalyn idly stroked along the top of his head, and with how he pressed into the contact his tail wagging broadcasting his enjoyment of it she couldn't help feeling just a little better as if the relaxedness he felt at her touch passed into her. Once she had opened the internet browser, and brought up zootube Evalyn looked down at David who had rested his head on her lap his eyes closed as she still ran her paw along the top of his head down his neck.

"You said the artist you wanted to show me was Sopor Aeternus?" Evalyn asked.

"Sopor Aeternus and the Ensemble of Shadows, Sopor Aeternus being latin for eternal sleep; do you mind if I type it out?" David asked not noticing how hearing his voice seemed to put Evalyn more at ease.

"Sure, no problem." Evalyn answered adding "Though you'll have to stand up."

"I will won't I?" David said with clear humor "But I could stay like this with you petting me until you got tired of it."

David did get back on his hind paws though he had to sort of lean over Evalyn to reach the keyboard. It didn't take him long at all once he'd used the touchpad to click on the search bar to type out the first song by Sopor Aeternus that he wanted to hear, and after hitting enter he was pleasantly surprised that the first result was the original nineteen-eightynine album version.

"Penance, and Pain huh? Well that was definitely interesting." Evalyn remarked when the song was over.

"Yeah, it was the first song from her that I heard, and got me into her music. Though I did say she's the most depressing singer I know of which is actually what I love about her delivery. I think I know just the song to show you what I mean" David replied clicking back on the search bar, and typing out the song title 'No One Is There'.

"Okay the instrumentation was definitely pretty, but you weren't kidding. You can practically feel her depression from being so alone." Evalyn said when the song was done.

"The songs that she does that are purely instrumental are all like that. I think it's called the baroque style, though let's change it up hmm?" David responded using the touchpad to click on a song in the recommended list that caught his eye.

As "Just a Thought" by Gnarls Barkley began to play David couldn't help singing along, and Evalyn simply sat there listening to him quite surprised by how much deeper than his speaking voice his singing voice was.

 _"All I want is your understanding,_

 _As in the small act of affection_

 _Why is this my life?_

 _Is almost everybody's question_

 _And I've tried,_

 _Everything but suicide,_

 _But it's crossed my mind_

 _I prefer peace,_

 _Wouldn't have to have one worldly posession,_

 _But essentially I'm an animal,_

 _So just what do I do with all the aggression?_

 _Well I've tried,_

 _Everything but suicide,_

 _But it's crossed my mind_

 _Life is a one way street and,_

 _If you could paint it,_

 _I'd draw myself going in the right direction,_

 _So I go all the way,_

 _Like I really, really know but the truth is,_

 _I'm only guessing_

 _And I've tried,_

 _Everything but suicide,_

 _Ooh but it's crossed my mind_

 _Just a thought_

 _It's even dark in the day time,_

 _It's not just good, it's great depression_

 _When I was lost I even found myself,_

 _Looking in the gun's direction_

 _And so I've tried_

 _Everything but suicide_

 _But yes, it's crossed my mind_

 _But I'm fine"_

Lorelei too had been drawn to the sound of David singing, and the way he accented some of the lyrics as if he truly wondered what to do with all his aggression, how suicide was really just a thought, and it really wasn't just good it was great depression seemed to speak to her of just how lost inside David was.

"Okay, you're pretty good. I want to hear you sing more" Evalyn told him encouragingly.

"Well, okay, but I'm only good with certain kinds of songs. How about something more upbeat?" David replied, leaning over to type in a different song into the search bar.

With little more than a deep inhale as he clicked on the video for the song he'd picked David went into singing along to Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."

 _"I see trees of green, red roses too_

 _I see them bloom for me and you_

 _And I think to myself what a wonderful world_

 _I see skies of blue and clouds of white_

 _The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night_

 _And I think to myself what a wonderful world_

 _The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky_

 _Are also on the faces of people going by_

 _I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do_

 _They're really saying I love you_

 _I hear babies crying, I watch them grow_

 _They'll learn much more than I'll never know_

 _And I think to myself what a wonderful world_

 _Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world"_

As he finished singing a smile across his muzzle since it was a song he truly loved there was a strange sort of whine that caused him to turn towards the doorway of Evalyn's room where Lorelei was standing leaning against the door frame.

"Are you okay?" David asked curiously raising an eyebrow.

Lorelei just opened, and closed her mouth a couple times before she managed to form a proper response "That was beautiful David."

"Well thank you Lorelei. I'm particularly fond of that classic by ol' Satchmo. My favorite part of the lyrics are 'Dark sacred night' because so many see the night as something to fear, and those that dwell therein as automatically evil. It's as if they fail to see how if not for the darkness of the night sky the moon, and stars would not shine so bright, or be so beautiful, and it is the sun with it's glaring radiance that blinds so many." David responded though his nose flared a little as he took in how Lorelei's scent had shifted though he couldn't really place it, and some primal part of him just wanted to smell more of it.

"Anyway" Lorelei said trying to change the subject as she noted how he was slowly, but clearly sniffing deeply in her direction "Why don't you go ahead, and use the shower first Evie, and David, and I can go over some of the paperwork I picked up then get dinner started."

"A relaxing shower does sound nice, okay mom." Evalyn agreed.

David followed Lorelei back into the living room while Evalyn went about grabbing up her pj's, and heading to the bathroom. Once back in the living room Lorelei simply told David to sit so he did making himself comfortable on the sofa. While he waited for her to come back into the living room since she'd gone into the kitchen he could hear Lorelei getting into a cabinet, and the freezer with the tinkle of ice going into glasses clueing him into that she was getting them drinks.

As she walked back into the living room Lorelei passed David one of the two lowball glasses of scotch she'd poured them which he accepted with a nod of thanks though he was quiet as he watched her cock her head as if listening in the direction her daughter was. Ignoring Lorelei for a moment David who could smell the alcohol from where it was in his paw brought it to his nose carefully drawing in the scent of it slowly. So familiar to him it was that he immediately knew it was whiskey, but like with so many other scents that he did recognize it was as if his memory contained only half of the odors his nose was actually picking up. Tentatively David couldn't help sticking out his tongue in a quick lap just to get reaquainted with the alcohol assuming that as different as it was smelling to him up close so too would it taste different.

"That's some decent scotch in there. You're not going to play with it are you?" Lorelei asked him a little teasingly with a smirk as she noted his hesitancy to actually take a sip before herself taking an easy sip.

"So this is scotch?" David responded before taking an actual drink.

"What do you think of it?" Lorelei asked still smirking.

"It's smooth, and I can really taste the barrel it was aged in." David answered before lifting the glass again to his lips, and tilting his head back drained it like water though the responding noise that escaped him when he was done proved he felt it going down.

"Should I be concerned about giving you more?" Lorelei asked raising an eyebrow.

"No. Booze doesn't work unless you chug it, but once I'm passed sober I know to just ride the wave. Besides you want to read me the riot act, and you were waiting for Evalyn to start the shower." David responded.

"That I do." Lorelei said with a nod before her tone became quite serious "Just what the holy fuck were you thinking? Nothing you really did in that situation was to avoid it. The Mother may call you one of her wolves, and my instincts may tell me that you are a good wolf, and no threat to me, or my daughter, but if it is so easy for you to be so violent I wonder just how much I can really trust you."

"Well, what the fuck was I supposed to do Lorelei? I wasn't going to let him get away with his shit, and clearly the fact that I was larger than him, and therefore easily capable of beating his ass wasn't enough to deter him. I gave him fair warning, and opportunity to walk away." David responded evenly not raising his voice.

"You also humiliated him, and gave him reason to not walk away, but I get what you're saying there wasn't a right answer. Just answer me this, would it really be so easy for you to take a life like that?" Lorelei asked with a sigh as she sat on the sofa.

"To be honest with you if I really had to kill someone, and all I had were my fangs then yes be it for my own survival, or to defend someone else, but I don't want to ever have to go that far Lorelei. I don't want to have to fight anyone either, but sometimes they don't leave you a choice, and when you've been beaten for no better reason than someone felt you deserved it you learn to head off violence with greater violence." David told her turning towards her so he could look her in the eye.

Lorelei met his gaze since he was talking to her, and the look in his eyes she saw struck to the very core of her being. She'd seen it before more times than she could count in the eyes of abuse victims she'd defended over the years. There wasn't anything she could really say to that, and to know that this wolf who had so far been so friendly, and kind had known that kind of treatment at the paws of another broke her heart just a little because she could see how he still bore the scars. So she did the only thing she could think to, and put her paw over his doing her best to be comforting. The smile he gave her in response, and the way his eyes seemed to light back up along side it struck a different chord in her, and before she realized it he was stroking her cheek with his other paw.

"Don't cry for me Lorelei. It's not like I remember any of it, I just know it happened. Besides, I feel like that was a lifetime ago." David said to her soothingly adding "Now you picked up some paperwork to help me actually have an identity so I can get a job among other things, let's at least get that started on since you went through the trouble, and maybe figure out what sounds good to fix for dinner."

"Speaking of jobs" David continued as he pulled his paw away from her muzzle "I think my run in with the police such that it was, was rather fortuitous. If there are more mammals like that punk wolf in this place, and my reaction to him was the wrong sort of reaction I think I should join them. It'll put me between assholes like that, and those they'd take advantage of, and maybe along the way I'll learn better ways to deal with fuckers like that."

"You nearly get arrested, and it makes you want to join the police?" Lorelei asked him with a nervous chuckle unable to not give him a half smirk.

"Well, I tell you I don't give two shits about upholding unjust laws that're half the time arbitrary as shit, and deserve to be broken, but I do care about doing what good I can if I can do any at all, and what better position to put myself in than one where I'm defending others?" David answered her with honest conviction.

"You know there's more to it than that, right?" Lorelei said clearly trying to feel out if he was really serious about it.

"Yeah, and it won't be easy, and it sure as hell won't be glamorous, but it'll be worth it I think." David told her with a nod.

"Okay then, well let me get you a refill, and we can start on this paperwork." Lorelei responded setting her own drink on the coffee table before getting up, and holding out her paw for his empty glass which he gave her.

After she refilled his glass, and brought over the small stack of papers she'd gotten that he'd need to fill out they began working on getting the forms done. Of course no sooner did they start than they ran into their first hurdle the fact that David only knew his first name so he had to choose a last one. As they talked it over David expressed wanting it to have a real meaning, reflect who he felt he was, and at least have Ulf in it. After a bit of zoogle searching on his phone of what certain words were in languages other than english David eventually settled on the last name 'Ulfherz' which translated into 'Wolfheart', and Lorelei was of the opinion that it suited him. From there it wasn't actually that hard for them to fill out the rest of the forms though as David put it they were essentially pulling things 'out of their ass' which as the alcohol they were drinking started to effect her albeit mildly got a small giggle fit from Lorelei because of course they just had a donkey from which to pull things.

Once they were done with the paperwork such that it was they were both definitely feeling mellow, and it showed in how they both had reclined on the sofa. When David having killed his second glass of scotch started to feel a bit peckish which put him in the mood to cook he asked if Lorelei minded him taking care of dinner to which she ascented.

"I'm starting to think you're a keeper." Lorelei said as David's lightly swishing tail disappeared from her view into the kitchen.

"Is he now?" Evalyn asked as she came down the hall in her pajamas looking refreshed from her shower.

"Your mom is just saying that 'cause I'm rustling us up some dinner." David said his voice carrying out of the kitchen as he opened the fridge.

"Maybe." Lorelei responded with a light chuckle.

"Oh, by the way Evalyn, I have a last name now." David informed her as he got out the leftover chicken.

"Cool, what is it?" Evalyn asked happily.

"Ulfherz which in english along with my first name makes me 'Beloved Wolfheart'." David answered as he went about nosing in the freezer.

"I like it." Evalyn commented before asking "So what's for dinner?"

"Well I'm going to chop up this leftover chicken, get this bag of frozen mixed veggies going along with some rice in the steamer, and we're gonna have a simple stir-fry." David answered.

"Yep, I'm keeping you. You can cook when I don't feel like it, you're easy on the eyes, and your singing isn't half bad either. You certainly made me wet." Lorelei said as she stretched out on the sofa.

"Mom!" Evalyn exclaimed shocked her mom was being so frank.

"Wait until you hear me sing along to something metal. You'll change your tune." David called out to her unfazed as he went about getting the rice cooker going.

"Try me." Lorelei dared him.

There was a moment of silence as David pulled out his phone, and pulling up the ZooTube app picked out a classic Megadeth song, and when the lyrics started he sang out in a death metal growl "Hello, me. Meet the real me, and my misfit's way of life. A dark black past is my most valued possession . . ."

"Okay, stop right there." Evalyn said going so far as to hold up her paw.

"But, why, dear Evalyn? I can do this all day." David responded speaking in the same growl before he laughed, and said more normally "See what I mean?".

"Touche." came Lorelei's response.

"Touch, okay where would you like it?" David asked, and both vixens could practically hear him smiling as he did so.

"Bad! Bad wolf!" Evalyn scolded him "Are you seriously flirting with my mom?"

"Well I can think of a few places I haven't been touched in awhile." Lorelei said though only her daughter saw the pervy grin on her muzzle.

"Ew, mom gross. Don't encourage him." Evalyn told her blushing.

"Well, to be fair Evalyn I was thinking more along the lines of a massage which I'd be happy to give the both of you though if we're gonna be on this subject I do kind of owe you a back washing." David called out as he was chopping up the chicken having started the rice cooker, and started getting a pan hot.

"Don't tease me." Lorelei said.

"My dear madam, we do not aim to tease. We aim to please." David responded grinning from ear to ear.

"Lip service." Lorelei replied likewise grinning as she appraised her daughter's half blushing, half mortified reaction to their playful banter.

"You wound me. I would not simply pay you lip service. I'll pay you tongue service, for free." David told her feigning hurt.

"I am not hearing this." Evalyn said putting her paws over her ears.

At that having gotten the mixed veggies in the pan David couldn't help stopping what he was doing, and walking back into the living room straight to Evalyn. Reaching her he simply grasped her wrists gently, and pulled her paws down so she'd hear him.

"We're just having a little fun Evalyn." David said to her honestly adding "You know you could always just join in. Though I am serious about giving you both a back rub, or brushing out your fur if you want me to though I wouldn't mind getting brushed in return."

Then before she could react he gave her muzzle a quick light lick then made his way back into the kitchen to finish preparing them dinner. As he went about stirring in the veggies, and adding in the chicken so it would warm his back was turned so he didn't see how Evalyn was struck speechless the inside of her ears as pink as they could get.

"Y-y-y-you . . . Th-Th-that was my first . . . " Evalyn stuttered in shock her eyes wide before she let out a whine that sounded more like a tea kettle.

David having just finished adding a touch of soy sauce he'd found in the fridge to the pan of chicken, and veggies for a bit of seasoning gave the pan a quick stir then walked back to the still working on what he'd done Evalyn.

"Yes, I licked you. We're canids, it's kind of our thing yeah? Now if you'd like me to actually kiss you I can do that though with my lack of memory it'll be as much a first for me as it will be for you." David told her though his words didn't seem to have his intended effect as her eyes simply got wider, and as if it were even possible the inside of her ears got pinker.

"Wait, you seriously licked her?" Lorelei asked him actually sitting up, and getting off the sofa.

"Yeah, and?" David responded with a shrug.

"Would you lick me?" Lorelei asked plainly.

In answer to her question David simply crossed the distance between them, and where he'd given Evalyn what would be considered a playful, and chaste lick he gave Lorelei's whole cheek a solid easy lick nearly using the full length of his tongue. Seeing how this simply caused Lorelei's jaw to drop David couldn't help looking at her curiously his head tilted, and an eyebrow about as far up as it could go. At that particular moment however his phone began ringing so he walked back again into the kitchen to answer it, and as he figured it was Kiera.

"Hey, Kiera what's up?" David answered his phone.

"I talked to my parents, and they're cool with you coming over. They've got some errands to run in the morning, so it'll just be the two of us though they both want to meet you."

"Okay, no problem. You can just text me directions to get over there in the morning. Though can I ask you something?" David replied.

"Yeah, sure what's up?" Kiera asked in response.

"What seems to be the deal with licking? I think I just broke Lorelei, and Evalyn." David told her.

"You did what?" Kiera asked incredulously.

"Hang on" David told her then pulling his phone from his ear he pulled up the camera app, and snapped first a clear photo of Evalyn then one of Lorelei which he then promptly sent to Kiera before putting the phone back to his ear "I just sent you the photos. If they stay stuck like this much longer I'm just going to start licking them again until they snap out of it."

The only response he got to that was another tea kettle like whine this time from Kiera which only further confused him. As he held the phone to his ear while he kept his gaze on the two vixens he could hear another female voice in the background which he assumed was her mother ask Kiera if she was okay, and then he had to hastily pull the phone from his ear as Kiera nearly shouted 'He Licked Them!'

At that Lorelei seemed to come out of her initial surprise, and stepping forward she held out her paw for David's phone saying "Let me talk to her, you finish dinner."

"Okay." David said giving her the phone then heading back into the kitchen though he kept an ear open to overhear what Lorelei might say.

"Kiera, Kiera!" David could hear Lorelei trying to get her attention "Yes, it's me. Yes, he licked us though not nearly like what you're assuming. Listen, just let me talk to your mom for a minute okay."

While his attention was on the pan of food making sure it didn't burn David could hear as Lorelei walked down the hall for privacy. It wasn't long before the chicken, and veggies were done so he turned off the pan, and went about getting down some plates. As he walked over to the kitchen table having plated up their food once the rice cooker was done he glanced over to where Evalyn still stood seemingly transfixed. After setting down on the table the two plates of food he carried that were for the two vixens David walked over to Evalyn intent on returning her to the realm of the functioning. Once he was in front of her he tilted her muzzle up so he could look into her eyes.

"I think I get why you're freaking out Evalyn" David said to her then ran his paw along the side of her head over her ear, and down the back of her neck where he rested it "But I didn't lick you, or your mother like that. She did tell Kiera as much, and trust me that wasn't anything near a real kiss."

As if to prove his point to her David tilted his head as he leaned in towards her, and brought his lips to hers. When he broke the kiss instead of pulling away he leaned farther forward so that he could nuzzle into her cheek before he pressed his neck against hers.

"Now you can say I took your first kiss, but in return I gave you mine, Evalyn. Not that you should really read that much into it." David told her before pulling back to look her in the eye, and he couldn't help grinning as he saw how she was back to square one processing his actions.

"Alright dinner is done, and waiting for you at the table, and the chef insists you partake." David said jovially before he moved beside Evalyn, and bending a bit due to the height difference with relative easy picked her up 'princess-style'.

David couldn't help grinning as he thought on how light Evalyn felt, but seeing how she'd reacted to him playfully licking her, and giving her an honest, but simple kiss he kept to himself the comment about how easy it would be for him to pick her up whenever he felt like it, and do whatever he wanted with her. It didn't take him more than a pawful of steps to reach the table, and after using a foot to pull out a chair he set her down in it gently.

"Tell me this doesn't smell good, hmm?" David said to her still smiling easily "Now I don't think it'd be right if we started eating without all of our pack present, so give me a moment to go fetch our alpha."

"I'm right here" Lorelei said causing him to turn towards her in surprise "And I saw that. All of it."

"Then it would behoove me to not feign innocence. Shall we at least discuss it over dinner?" David responded with a nervous grin.

"You're not in trouble David." Lorelei told him giving him back his phone, and heading to the table with him following suit.

Once he'd sat at the table David waited till Lorelei had at least taken a bite of her food before taking one of his own though it was obvious he was watching Evalyn who was still lost in her thoughts a few moments longer before she too started tucking into her plate. Satisfied she was eating David turned his attention to his own plate as alcohol fueled munchies kicked in.

"Do you just not eat slow?" Lorelei asked jokingly adding "I mean this is good, but you could savor it you know."

"It is good, and that's why I'm eating it." David answered her with a chuckle.

"So, Kiera seems to like you." Lorelei commented which seemed to pique Evalyn's interest though David didn't really notice.

"Okay, what makes you say that?" David asked curiously in between shoveled forkfuls of rice, and chicken.

"Besides how she got jealous when you fed Evie at lunch before you fed her? Her mom, and I were talking." Lorelei told him.

"So that's what that scent shift from her was? I thought she just wanted her own bite of my food." David replied.

"You have a lot to learn David." Lorelei said with a light chuckle, and a knowing grin.

"What else did you, and Kiera's mom talk about?" Evalyn asked curiously.

"Hey, you're talking again. Welcome back." David said to her teasingly with a smile.

"You be quiet." Evalyn told him before saying to her mom "So?"

"I just went over how as the doctor put it, David here is really like a cub having to learn things we take for granted, but being a full grown wolf he's a lot quicker on the uptake." Lorelei answered before turning to David, and saying "So, why do you think we reacted the way we did to you licking us?"

"Well going on Evalyn's reaction alone, to you guys it's something one does on the more intimate side of things though I imagine there's more to it than that since it'd be different if say a parent were licking their cub. I still think it's making a mountain out of a molehill though; I mean from my perspective you're putting licking on par with a kiss with tongue if not more intimate than that, and to me that's a little backwards. I mean if I were to say groom either of you without a brush or any other tool I'd use my tongue as a simple matter of course, and sure that could get intimate, but it doesn't have to." David said laying out his reasoning.

"You'd really groom us with your tongue?" Evalyn asked incredulously blushing again.

"I think I'm starting to understand you a bit better David. You're not just compensating with your instincts for your lack of knowledge regarding things, you're entire way of interpreting what you learn is like that of a primitive." Lorelei responded.

"The real question Evalyn is why wouldn't I use my tongue? Though tools for grooming I imagine get the job done a bit better, and Lorelei what do you mean primitive?" David said to them.

"I mean you're closer to how we canids were before we started walking upright. You see things like how one of them would." Lorelei answered.

"Ah, I see what you mean, and your right. I mean if we didn't have paws capable of grabbing things, all we'd have is our mouths to pick up things, and licking would just be something we all would do naturally because that's all we got. As everyone's evolved physically, and cognitively perceptions towards such things have changed, and grown, but I lack all that framework for groking everything. This actually makes it a little difficult for me to get on the same page as everyone else, if I even can." David said nodding thoughtfully.

"So what do you think about Kiera liking you?" Evalyn asked bringing the conversation back around as they continued eating.

"Well, I don't really get why she'd like me like that already since we barely know each other. I'm standing by what I said though, with my lack of memory I'm not rushing into anything deeper than friendship especially with her, or you two. Not that I'm not attracted to the three of you, because I am; you two're both loli-funsize without being lolis, and she's in my strike zone too, but I'm not ready just yet to get intimate with anyone, in particular you three for that matter since that'd only complicate things." David answered her.

"Lolly?" Evalyn inquired tilting her head confusedly.

"You did not just call me loli-funsize." Lorelei said unable to not laugh.

"What? Compared to me you are. That really sank in when I carried Evalyn just now. I could pick either of you up, and do with you whatever I wanted, not that I would of course since I'm pretty sure I'm too big for either of you especially with this stupid knot." David responded honestly.

"Hehe I can't believe we're just talking about this over dinner." Evalyn said with a nervous chuckle.

"And if I told you we're not too small in that regard?" Lorelei asked with a grin.

"I'd call bullshit on that barring actual proof a wolf of my size wouldn't kill by internal bleeding a vixen of your size." David told her quite seriously.

"Evie cover your ears. You don't want to know what I'm about to tell him." Lorelei said to her daughter, and once she'd complied Lorelei got up moving next to David before telling him "I have first paw experience David, a wolf your size wouldn't break me. We may be the smallest females you could fuck, and you should take it slow if you do, but trust me we could take you knot, and all."

At that David couldn't help looking at her still a little skeptically since Kiera mentioning that he was bigger than her brother echoed in his head. Lorelei surprised him though when before she went back to her seat she licked his muzzle though he didn't really react to it other than a slight grin.

After they finished dinner David cleared the table, and went about doing the dishes with Evalyn joining him. Lorelei watched them work for a moment appraising how well they seemed to interact with each other; it was obvious to her through his body language that he really was serious about simply being a friend to her daughter, and not a potential romantic interest, and she could understand where he was coming from, but part of her just wanted to tell him that he'd have to deal with the romantic side of interacting with others, and might as well do so sooner rather than later. As she mused to herself about it she couldn't help thinking how if he would take that advice she'd be more than willing to be the one to teach him what he needed to learn, but had to dash the thought since he was right about how going there with either her, Evalyn, or Kiera would only complicate things.

For David it was just a matter of course that having made the mess so to speak in cooking them dinner that he should clean it though he certainly wasn't going to say no to Evalyn lending him her paws. When Lorelei told them that she was going to take a shower they both assured her they'd be done shortly with cleaning everything not that there was much to wash in the first place.

When they were done with the dishes David, and Evalyn retired to the living room simply reclining on the sofa. Evalyn still curious about it asked him what he'd meant by 'lolly' so David explained that it was the short form of the word lolicon which was itself a term the japanese had coined as a contraction of 'lolita complex'. He told her how there'd been a fictional book called Lolita where an older male had fallen in love with, and engaged in amorous activities with a female about Evalyn's age whose name was Lolita in a place where such things were quite illegal. He then explained that in japan lolicon was the umbrella term for art both 2D, and 3D that would be considered 'cub porn', and that though it was used synonymously with the word pedophile by those who weren't lolicon there were plenty of actual lolicon who would never dare cross that kind of line adding that there was a clear distinction between something that was essentially art, and actual 'cub porn'. He further explained that those females who were quite of legal age, but appeared to be younger were also called lolis in a usage of the term closer to how it should be used based on it's origin from the book, as opposed to it's use to simply mean pedophile. He told her that when he referred to her, and Lorelei as loli-funsize he was meaning that though they were of age, in regards to him size wise they were similar to she-wolves that would be considered quite underage. When she asked him if he knew all this because he was a lolicon David told her very firmly, and resolutely 'No.' making it quite clear that he saw cubs as to be protected not violated.

In an effort to get them off the subject Evalyn asked him if he was really serious about giving her a massage David couldn't help grinning, and nodding emphatically telling her to at least take off her shirt with a waggle of his paws. Evalyn's ears again tinged with pink at that, but she obliged before laying on her stomach stretched out across the sofa while he moved to the floor on his knees. He started with rubbing her neck, and shoulders before moving lower definitely enjoying how much she enjoyed his ministrations. Once he was done with her back David insisted she sit up so he could properly massage her feet, and though she grumbled a little that she was quite relaxed already Evalyn did as he asked. Having moved into a cross legged sitting position in front of her he was still grinning ear to ear seeing how she was putty in his paws as he tended to her feet.

"Okay, I want me some of that." Lorelei said as she walked back into the living room clad in only her towel.

"Uh-uh, he's mine." Evalyn responded clearly so relaxed she was starting to doze off.

"Let me finish with this foot, and I will be glad to oblige you Lorelei. Since you're already naked you get the full body treatment." David told her with a chuckle.

"There's a full body treatment?" Evalyn asked her muzzle skyward as her head was against the back of the sofa "Ugh, I'm too relaxed to do it, take off my pants David you're not done yet."

"Wow, I never expected you to be so forward Evie." Lorelei joked.

"Now, Evalyn I'm not going anywhere, and I can always just give you a massage when you want one though I wouldn't mind getting one in return. Who doesn't enjoy a little positive contact?" David admonished her with a light laugh.

"Oh, alright, but you better not be just saying that." Evlayn told him.

"Trust me I'm not; I'm rather enjoying your enjoyment of this." David responded.

Once Evalyn had scooted to the end of the sofa she was nearer to so her mom would have space Lorelei stretched herself out on her stomach much as her daughter had after removing her towel. As he had with Evlayn David started with her neck, and shoulders before moving his paws lower section by section rubbing down her muscles.

"Oh, god." Lorelei exclaimed as he was kneading the muscles along her spine "I don't care how you know to do this like a cat just don't stop."

"I told you didn't I? We aim to please, not to tease." David told her with a devilish smirk.

"Well you are definitely pleasing me. I'm not a vixen anymore; I'm a fur rug resembling a vixen." Lorelei said letting out a contented sigh as he continued his kneading above the base of her tail.

As he moved lower massaging first her right thigh, and calf since they were farther away then her left leg all Lorelei was capable of were sounds indicating her pleasure though once he reached her left ankle he stopped which elicited from her a whine of protest.

"Come on, just sit up so I can get your feet." David told her.

"Damn right your not done. We're going to have to work on sharing him Evie since we are definitely keeping him." Lorelei told her as she sat up rather languidly.

David just grinned to himself quite satisfiedly as he took up first her right foot, and began rubbing the pads of it.

"Ahh . . . you don't have to do the other foot just fuck me." Lorelei said in much the same position Evalyn still was with her muzzle tilted skyward.

"Mom!" Evalyn exclaimed albeit lazily.

"I'm sorry Lorelei, but happy ending is not included." David told her moving on to her other foot.

"Well it should be." Lorelei stated.

Once he was done David couldn't help looking over the two of them feeling quite self-satisfied. Seeing how the two of them were nearly asleep, yet occupying his bed a thought occurred to him he couldn't help acting on.

"What are you doing?" Lorelei asked as she felt him slide first one arm under her knees, and another under her back.

"My efforts would be ruined if I made you walk to your room, so I'm carrying you to bed." David told her as he lifted her up, and started walking towards her room.

"That is just fine by me." Lorelei told him resting her head against his chest.

After he'd gotten Lorelei situated in her bed David walked back to the living room yawning along the way to do the same for Evalyn.

"You're getting a kick out of carrying me like this aren't you?" Evalyn asked him as he made his way towards her room with her in his arms.

"Definitely. The male in me is quite pleased." David answered grinning down at her.

"Tell me David" Evalyn said as he laid her on her bed "If I wanted you to have sex with me, would you?"

"Right now, when we barely know each other, and I'm still not convinced doing so wouldn't cause you more pain than pleasure? No Evalyn, but in the future well I'd be more than happy to pleasure you if that is what you really wanted though like I said earlier us becoming more than just friends will complicate things, and I'd rather not see things go down the drain for it." David answered her honestly before telling her "Now you get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright David. Good night." Evalyn responded with a yawn.

After one last look at Evalyn, and a glance down the hall towards Lorelei's room David made his way to the sofa where he got himself comfortable then fell asleep.

* * *

With his day coming to a close Officer John Wolford began filling out his last report of the day involving the altercation he, and his partner had responded to at the Tundratown mall. He still couldn't believe the kind of wolf David had been, and thinking back on it he couldn't explain to himself why the thought of another wolf flirting with his partner had so gotten to him that he'd actually growled at him. As he watched again the camera footage before he filed it into the system he couldn't help shaking his head which as he did so he noted fellow Officer Jason Snarlov passing by his desk.

"Hey, Jason." John called out to him.

"What's up John?" Jason asked turning back towards him.

"Check this out. I want your take on this wolf." John responded gesturing to his computer monitor.

After scrolling back the video to the beginning John restarted it for his friend, and fellow officer. It really was a thing to see just how clearly David's body language broadcasted he was ready to defend his friends as he approached Karl from behind, and then how after Karl threw the first punch he effortlessly bent the younger wolf over.

"No way, he seriously mounted him . . . who fucking does that anymore? Wait . . . holy fuck that's a nasty break, and was he just about to... before that vixen called him off?" Jason commented as he watched the altercation unfold before he looked at the screen a bit closer "Wait a minute, that's my niece Kiera."

"Yeah, he really was going to tear out that cub's throat with his fangs if that vixen hadn't stopped him." John confirmed adding "I couldn't believe it when I first saw it, and when I got back to where they were I made sure he understood just what kind of deep shit he'd have been in if he had done it. Jessica was telling me in the cruiser on the way to the hospital to check on that cub that this wolf really gave her the willies. He actually expected her to go after him with her fangs, and claws if he ran. So she's your niece? I was wondering why she looked familiar."

"Wow, that's saying a lot if he got under her fur though why would he think we'd ever use that kind of force?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, I don't get it either how he'd think we'd respond with lethal force like that. It gets better though." John told him with a bit of sarcasm "He was actually kind of flirting with Jess albeit indirectly. He openly admitted to finding her attractive."

"You're kidding?" Jason asked incredulously.

"Nope, not kidding." John replied with a light laugh.

"Well he's definitely a strange wolf that's for sure. Though that really was something seeing him handle that cub; he's definitely had some training, but you'd think if that were the case he wouldn't have been so ready to hurt that cub so badly. Can you imagine if we had someone like that on the TUSK team?" Jason mused.

"I'd rather not, though I see what you mean; it'd be better to have someone like him on our side." John responded.

"Alright well now I have a phone call to make, I'll catch you later John." Jason said.

"Yeah, catch you later buddy." John replied going back to finishing his work for the day.

* * *

Tired as she was having been awoken in the middle of the night by his whimpering in his sleep Evalyn couldn't help looking down at David curled into a fetal position, and wonder just what was going on behind his twitching eyes. When a low, but clearly pain filled howl escaped him it was like a cold finger touching her caring spirit, and her heart went out to him like the paw she extended to stroke his head as she nearly whined in response. Getting down on her knees in front of him she leaned down nuzzling against him trying to comfort him, and as she rested her neck against his she heard him say a single word, a name, in his sleep with a sad longing that she wouldn't soon forget. It made her feel a little better though that her contact with him seemed to be working to comfort him since with a sigh he started to relax stretching out his limbs. It wasn't a decision so much as a thought she acted on to simply sleep next to him for the rest of the night though with how much space on the sofa he took up she ended up laying more on him than anything, but as this seemed to relax him further, and he wrapped an arm around her holding her to him she fell asleep feeling her own sense of comfort.

With her mind coming into wakefulness as she kept her eyes closed Evalyn let loose a yawn, and stretched a bit wondering how her bed got so comfortable until a certain stiffness pressing against her caused her eyes to snap open as she remembered she wasn't in her bed at all. She couldn't help a subtle wiggle of her hips as if to confirm just what it was she felt against her, and she felt it twitch in response which caused her to blush clear to her ear tips. Carefully she lifted herself up straddling his stomach then turned herself around so she could see it, and with her eyes nearly as wide as saucers she had to turn her head around to confirm that David was still quite asleep which he was before looking back at the tent his erect member had pitched.

The pit of her stomach was a nervous tumult of butterflies as she stared at the bulge as obvious as her nose. This was the closest she'd ever come to actually seeing a male's hard member up close, and not as part of some artistic depiction in sex ed class. She couldn't help wondering just what it would look like freed from the cloth of his pants, and underwear which hid it such as it was, and having already seen what it looked like soft only spurred her curiosity to see the difference. Her paws were shaking a little in her nervousness as she reached for the button of his pants which in her orientation in relation to it she found as easy to undo as she would any pair of jeans she wore. She jerked her paws away swiftly seeing how as she undid the button the zipper seemed to undo itself due to the pressure put on it by his erection revealing just how much his pants had actually kept it from truly standing at attention. It took her a moment to build back up her courage along with another look back at his muzzle confirming he was still asleep before she reached for the waistband of his boxers, and in such a simple motion fully revealed his swollen red member. She was still staring at it transfixed her right paw tentatively reaching towards it when her mother's voice cut through the silence.

"Oh, yeah. That'll fit; I don't get what he was so worried about." Lorelei said grinning from ear to ear at her daughter, and the mortified look on her muzzle.

"Huh? What?" David said as Lorelei's voice woke him up before his brain fully registered both Evalyn's weight on him, and the fact that part of him was exposed to which he remarked "Well, this is awkward. Do you like what you see?"

That of course got quite the 'eep' out of Evalyn who darted off of him, and nearly collided with the coffee table in the process. Now able to see for himself his ready for duty wolfhood David's eyes took on the same curious transfixed look Evalyn's had, had.

"I certainly like what I see." Lorelei said a little teasingly clearly amused with how David, and her daughter couldn't help staring at his member.

As David continued staring at it, it was clear the gears in his mind were turning, and as if on command his engorged member twitched.

"Did you just make it do that?" Evalyn asked seemingly finally able to form words though she was still clearly blushing quite strongly.

"Yes, yes I did." David answered, and as if for emphasis made his cock twitch again.

"You could reach it if you wanted to." Lorelei said still grinning deviously.

"Huh?" David replied looking up at her quizzically.

"I know that look; you're wondering if you could reach it with your muzzle. You can, trust me I sure walked in on my brother doing as much when we were in high-school often enough." Lorelei told him with a light chuckle before adding clearly for the rise it'd get out of Evalyn "Though if you'd like a paw with that I could certainly give you one. Evie certainly was going to before I said something, and woke you up."

"Mom! I was not!" Evalyn exclaimed defensively which only insinuated that she was.

David couldn't help looking back, and forth between his paw, and his member before saying "Wouldn't that hurt? Rough paw meet exposed muscle . . ."

Then what else Lorelei had said registered, and David told her "I was not thinking about giving myself head" though it was clear with how much of an afterthought that statement was that he had been thinking of doing just that.

"Hey, it's perfectly natural for males to consider doing so. Females aren't any different since we're usually just as flexible." Lorelei said clearly enjoying how her morning was going.

"Mom! That is so gross." Evalyn told her embarrassdly.

"Don't lie Evie you'd watch him do it." Lorelei responded mischievously adding "I certainly wouldn't want to miss the free show."

"I am not going down on myself." David said sternly though it was clear he was still thinking about it.

"Oh, come one what's one lick going to hurt? You know you'll like it." Lorelei encouraged him wickedly, and his cock twitched again as if in agreement with her.

David could only open, and close his mouth silently as he actually considered it because he _was_ curious, and really didn't care if either of them watched him for that matter, but considering that if he did so it would lower Evalyn's opinion of him he shook his head then rolled off the sofa onto all fours. When his undone pants pooled around his hindpaws David simply stepped out of them, and despite how the waistband of his boxers constricted against his still uninflated knot he began walking around the coffee table giving Evalyn a wide berth as he walked off his erection.

"Well you're no fun." Lorelei said to him playfully pouting.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a delight." David replied with a grin before he paused to adjust the waistband of his boxers to hide his member since it proved uncomfortable to simply walk around with it hanging out.

It took a couple circles of the coffee table before his blood flow redirected itself from where it had been, and when it had David sat on his haunches idly using his right hindpaw to scratch his ear then asked Lorelei "So, what's the plan for the day besides us figuring out what to have for breakfast?"

"Well I'm gonna start by getting some coffee going." Lorelei answered, and as she made her way towards the kitchen she asked him "You kind of enjoy moving about on all fours like that don't you?"

"I guess so." David answered with a shrug before a thought occurred to him, and he told her "I will be your pet" then panted wagging his tail.

"Hahaha . . ." Evalyn burst out laughing at his antics "You are such a goof."

"I try." David replied with a broad grin.

"Our pet, hmm . . ." Lorelei mused as she went about getting the coffee machine going "I guess that means we'll need to get you a collar, and a leash."

"Ooh, can I get a name tag too?" David asked happily wagging his tail as he walked into the kitchen.

"I don't see why not." Lorelei said turning towards him with a grin, and watching while he used his 'cat paw' trick to get the fridge open.

"What next, you're gonna do some tricks for us?" Evalyn asked rhetorically.

"Sure, I can do tricks. Ooh, if only you had a ball to throw for me to fetch." David said to her wagging his tail as he stuck his head in the fridge "I will fetch. I like running."

"Tricks, huh?" Lorelei said before telling him "Come here David."

At that he happily complied again panting as he wagged his tail.

"Okay, sit." Lorelei said, and he sat on his haunches looking at her expectantly.

"Shake." Lorelei told him offering her paw, and he simply lifted his own resting it on hers.

"Good boy" Lorelei said patting his head then told him "Now beg for a treat."

At that David couldn't help giving her his best 'cute cub' expression wagging his tail for emphasis.

"Okay, stop begging. Holy shit, you doing that with those eyes is a weapon if ever there was one." Lorelei told him.

"Isn't that kind of demeaning for you to act like that?" Evalyn asked him as she walked over to the table, and sat down.

"Not really. Think of it as roleplay. I'm the not so savage primitive you lovely vixens have tamed." David responded walking over to her, and giving her the same 'cute cub' look he'd given Lorelei.

"Oh my gods, don't just do that to me." Evalyn said to him using her paws to cover his eyes.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" David joked, and when Evlayn removed her paws his expression was back to normal.

"You're certainly in a good mood this morning." Lorelei noted as she went about getting what was left of the eggs, and turkey bacon out of the fridge.

"Well it's kinda hard not to be in a good mood when you wake up to a pair of pretty vixens admiring your erect penis. Besides life's too short not to embrace positivity whenever you can." David responded.

"That is a very good point, David." Lorelei agreed as she turned the stove on adding "By the way, you would fit no problem. You're still average for a wolf."

"Hmm? Oh! I see . . . well that's good to know . . ." David said as what she meant registered.

It wasn't much longer before Lorelei had gotten their breakfast prepared, and as they ate they chatted idly. Lorelei brought up the appointment for Evalyn that she'd made to get her required vaccination, and immunity booster shots taken care of early as well as the fact that they should do some grocery shopping so she suggested that once she, and Evalyn were done at the doctor's office they meet him over at Kiera's place. David was quite agreeable to that though he mentioned waiting on Kiera to text him directions to which Evalyn told him she could just write them down for him since she knew the way.

Once they were done eating, and he'd killed his mug of coffee David excused himself so he could take a shower. This time since he did so standing upright his endeavor to get himself clean went much smoother though he sort of missed having Evalyn wash his back for him. As ever he found the fur-dryer a miracle device he was loathe to leave, but he did so once he was quite dry. Since the bag with his clothes, and package of underwear was back in the living room next to the sofa, and they'd already seen everything David didn't care about walking back to the living room naked.

It didn't take him long at all to get on a clean pair of boxers, the pants he'd worn the day before, and his Gojira t-shirt. Since he was ready for the day first he went into the kitchen for a second cup of coffee while he waited for Lorelei, and Evalyn to get themselves ready. While he sat alone at the kitchen table he used his phone to text Kiera letting her know Evalyn was going to write down directions to her place for him, and that he was looking forward to her, and her parents helping him learn how to act like a civilized wolf since as he put it he had 'acting the tame savage' down quite well. A couple minutes later Kiera texted back that she would be waiting for him, and told him to not hesitate to call her if he got a little lost. At that David couldn't help texting her that she could just mark something in front of her house, and he'd follow his nose which got an 'LOL' in response.

After telling Lorelei, and Evalyn that he'd see them later David got off the bus they'd taken at the stop from which he simply had to walk a couple blocks. While he made his way down the street following Evalyn's directions which were tucked in his pocket David texted Kiera to let her know he was on his way. It didn't take him long to reach the side street he needed to turn down, and find the average sized single story dwelling Kiera called home with her parents. Once he'd reached the door David gave it a short couple knocks, and there before him once she'd opened it was Kiera in a simple pink tank top, and short jean shorts.

"Hey David, come on in." Kiera greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, Kiera. How's it going?" David asked as he followed her in.

"I'd say it's going pretty good so far." Kiera answered as she shut the front door behind them.

"So, where should we begin?" David asked following her down the hall off the foyer to her room.

"Well, after whatever my mom, and Lorelei talked about she's actually looking forward to going over with you some of the more formal stuff, but that's boring." Kiera answered turning towards him with what was clearly a flirtatious grin "I was thinking we could go over the more fun stuff."

"Hmph, you mean like how we'd go about flirting with each other non-verbally so I can actually recognize when a female is interested in me since I was kind of oblivious yesterday. Like you're already trying to do suggesting we get to the _fun_ stuff." David responded seeing through her.

"Maybe." Kiera replied coyly her tail wagging lightly.

"You know I should be wary of you, and your ulterior motives since it is just you, and me right now, and you're not just wearing so little simply because you're around the house, but it is useful to know the difference between someone simply being friendly, and someone being interested." David told her as he moved over to her bed, and sat on it.

"These are my house shorts. I don't know what you're talking about." Kiera said clearly feigning innocence.

"They're easy access, and we both know it. Though I'd be lying if I said I don't appreciate what they reveal, and what they hint at revealing I gotta wonder just why you are interested in me when we barely know each other." David replied with a knowing grin adding "For all you know my kindness could just be a facade underneath which I'm just a manipulative, abusive asshole of the worst sort."

"Haha, you wouldn't have been so ready to beat Karl's ass just for pushing Evie, and the Mother wouldn't call you one of her wolves like Lorelei told my mom if that were true." Kiera called his bluff.

"You got me there, Kiera, but I'm going to be upfront with you I'm not interested in getting romantically involved with anyone anytime soon." David told her as she sat next to him on her bed.

"Says the wolf who licked Evie, and Lorelei." Kiera quipped.

"Okay, hold still, and I will show you." David told her before leaning in, and giving her muzzle a quick lick then the whole side of her head a long easy one "That first one was how I licked Evalyn, and the second was how I licked Lorelei. I think you'll agree there was nothing romantic about either of them, and though I get how you could see licking as a more romantic way of kissing I have a hard time seeing it as anything other than just something we canids do."

"Then what would you consider a more romantic way of kissing?" Kiera asked him.

"Well, not just pressing my lips against yours, but getting my tongue in your mouth though with a muzzle shape like this I'm not sure how that would work." David answered honestly.

"You could always figure it out by practicing." Kiera suggested with a grin.

"And I suppose you'd volunteer yourself especially since you're closer to my size than Evalyn, or Lorelei." David said returning her grin.

"Why not?" Kiera asked placing a paw on his thigh, and leaning in towards him.

Try as he might in the span of a few seconds David couldn't think of a reason not to lean in the rest of the way to kiss her, and so he did. There wasn't any urgency to that first easy meeting of their lips, and they'd come apart briefly before coming together again for a little longer each time as they began making out.

David was the first one to try parting his lips, and getting his tongue past hers with Kiera parting her own lips to allow him access. It took a couple tries, and they both shared some laughs over it before they managed to properly wrestle their tongues. As their making out intensified David pulled Kiera onto his lap where she in response reached a paw down to rub his crotch. At that point when his cock began rising to meet her paw David should've stopped them there before things got out of paw, but he didn't because he was as into it as Kiera was. Needless to say the scent of her arousal did nothing, but further silence his faculties, and better judgement. When Kiera pulled away from him only to lean forward, and bite his neck it was like everything, but the most primal parts of him turned off as his member throbbed painfully restricted by his pants, and he in return bit her back.

It was then though as she didn't let up her bite while she grinded her hips against his, and he responded in kind that he felt it. It was like a pull deep in the core of his gut that seemed to reach up making itself felt in his fangs, and it wasn't until after he'd given into it feeling the warmth of her chi flowing into him that he realized himself releasing his grip on her, and pushing her away.

Kiera however was too caught up in her own horniness to want to stop, and simply brought her muzzle back against his this time flooding his mouth with her tongue. David couldn't help returning the kiss, his tongue moving against hers, but as his fangs itched to be used again in the way his nature called for them to be he again broke away from her, and tried to gain a little distance so they could calm down. Thanks to Kiera's resistance to his efforts however they wound up first on the floor, then rolling around across it each trying to flip the other over, and gain dominance. Eventually though David managed to stay on top of Kiera, and pinning her paws above her head keep his muzzle, and neck away from her own though he had to strain a little to do so.

"Come on David why stop now? We were just getting to the good part." Kiera said to him her voice huskily seductive as she wrapped her legs around his hips.

"Damnit Kiera, just because I want to fuck you doesn't mean I'm going to." David told her adamantly.

"You're muzzle says one thing, but your big hard cock says another." Kiera told him trying to lift her head enough to bite him again, but he managed to remain out of her reach.

At that moment though they were interrupted by the distinct sound of a male clearing his throat. In all their commotion they'd failed to hear Kiera's parents walk through the front door.

"Yes! I am saved by the parents." David responded to that as Kiera groaned then called out "Help me."

"And how can I help you David?" Kiera's dad asked entering the doorway to her room.

"Well your presence should be enough to keep her where she is, but if I let her go, and she comes after me will you pull her off?" David responded turning his head to look her dad in the eye.

"I can do that." Kiera's dad replied.

With a huff of defeat Kiera relaxed under him her legs lowering from around him as David cautiously let her go, and jumped away from her sideways landing on all fours. It was clear from his body language that he was wary of her as he backed up towards the door, before turning towards her father once he was near it since he was still effectively blocking it.

"Can I have a minute to walk this off? And then maybe we can talk?" David asked tentatively.

"Yeah, no problem." Kiera's dad answered backing out of the doorway.

After he passed through the doorway David headed down the hall back towards the living room thankful that the distance of the walk was already helping distribute blood away from his member.

"Is it more comfortable for you to walk on all fours like that?" Kiera's dad asked as he followed after David while his wife walked into their daughter's room, and closed the door.

"It is actually, but once I'm no longer ah ready for duty as it were I'll stand back up." David answered, and by the time he had gotten to the end of the hall he was soft enough that he got himself standing upright.

"Why don't we have a seat at the kitchen table?" Kiera's dad suggested.

"Sure, no problem." David responded turning towards the older wolf who was a couple inches shorter than he was before sticking out his paw "You already know my name is David, and once Lorelei gets the paperwork we filled out filed with who it needs to be, and it's approved my last name will be Ulfherz. It's good to meet you."

"Michael Pines though you can call me Mike." Kiera's dad introduced himself grasping David's paw, and shaking it before saying as they let go "And thank you for not fucking my daughter."

"Not a problem. I mean I've made it quite clear to Kiera, Evalyn, and Lorelei that with how indebted to them I am for the kindness they've shown me a relative stranger I'm not about to sleep with them to repay that debt, and like I told Evalyn last night when she asked me about it I'm not exactly keen on sleeping with them in general since we barely know each other, and that would complicate things between us." David told him though he added "At least anytime soon because who knows what the future holds."

"I don't know many males who would have that kind of attitude about it, not that I'm complaining." Mike responded as they headed into the kitchen area adding while David went to sit at the table, and he made for the fridge "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Well, I'd be lying Mike if I told you my ego wasn't boosted to eleven right now that there's at least one female willing to get that close to me so I'm not that much different than most males, and some water would be lovely." David answered.

"Hehe, at least your honest David." Mike replied as he got them a couple bottles of water out of the fridge, then made his way to the kitchen table sitting across from David.

"You alright there?" Mike asked as David noticing how he was shaking as he took the bottle of water he passed to him.

"I'll be alright. You know how it is when a female gets to you in a bad way." David answered unscrewing the cap to the bottle, and lifting it to his lips.

"Yeah, I do." Mike said with a laugh before his eyes widened as he watched David kill the bottle of water in one go.

"So, have you thought about what kind of work you're going to look for once you get your I.D., and all that?" Mike asked making conversation.

"Actually I have. As soon as I get confirmation all that paperwork has gone through I'm applying for the ZPD. Kiera probably glossed over what happened at the mall yesterday, but I kinda was going to do more than just break that dumb wolf's arm, and like I was talking about it with Lorelei I think going through training to be a cop will help me learn to deal with situations like that better. Plus it'll put me between those kinds of assholes, and more decent folk." David answered honestly.

"Hmm . . ." Mike responded clearly thinking a moment before saying "Well it might be a while before you get accepted to the police academy, and to be honest with you I'd like to get to know the kind of wolf my daughter would actually show such interest in a bit better. What would you say to working at the cafe my wife, and I run? We could use the extra set of paws since the girl we had working for us had her college class schedule change."

"Are you serious?" David asked clearly having not expected that.

"Yeah, I'm serious." Mike answered.

"Then when do I start? The sooner I can start actually paying Lorelei back, and have a little money in my pocket the better." David responded enthusiastically.

"How about tomorrow?" Mike asked with a grin.

"You sir have a deal." David answered extending his paw.

With that they shook on it, and David couldn't help feeling that his situation that was already better than he could've hoped for a scant few days ago had taken a leap forward he wasn't about to second guess.


	3. Catalyst

**Brief A/N -** Over a year, and not an update to this my secondary story, or Scars and the Claws my primary one. Anyone would be well within their reason to have assumed these stories I have in me to tell were dead. They are not, in fact they've actualy been expanded, in ways I can't wait to get into. To be honest with you the next chapter of Scars, #19, was supposed to be done a month a go, but I had a setback that was majorly depressing. I've been sans an actual computer to write with [the tablet I'm using is also a computer, you know what I mean] since the end of january, but have been making do with a tablet, and a bluetooth keyboard. For two months I made excellent progress on finishing Scars Ch.19 which has been a W.I.P. for over a year now, only for a glitch with google docs to cause me to irreparably lose 30k words [Yeah, I was almost at a chapter 100k words long; all for you who might've been waiting for it]. Luckily I have not had to start over from scratch, but well I got knocked off my horse by a fucking lance, it hurts, but I'm healing. To that end, what follows is my proof to you I'm getting back on the horse - this only took a week to get out of me.

Sidenote - This story is going to be split into two parts though the second half won't begin though until after Scars is over for reasons. I know I said when I started this that the two stories would be completely isolate from each other, but they've grown inextricably linked. To that end there will be however long in the future a Scars/Engel crossover that is partially written already, and is titled Ghostflowers

Final mention - This chapter's title song is from the band Dorje, who I got turned onto through the FrogLeapStudios cover of Toto's Africa over on the youtube.

P.S. - Darkwolfslayer, can you guess the new parallel between them that occured to me?

* * *

\- - - A week and a half later - - -

"Kiera." He said to her warningly as she started to get to him with her attempts to be flirty.

"What?" She asked innocently before grinning mischievously, and asking "Do you want to bite me? Are your fangs starting to ache?"

"Yes." He admitted in a strained whisper as he lowered his head to stare at the floor before managing to add softly, yet seriously "But I won't."

"Why not? Don't you need to" She asked before telling him with her tail broadcasting her meaning "I am right here, and I wouldn't mind."

"If you know so much then what are you doing?" He asked her pointedly though still softly as if he couldn't speak at the volume he normally did.

"I'm trying to look out for a friend." She said to him before she surprised him as she stepped forward then got a good pawful of his scruff, and pulled back causing him to reflexively lift his muzzle to the ceiling as he bared his fangs.

Frozen like that as he warred with himself between what his instincts and nature were screaming, and the part of himself that was honorable to the point of suicide Kiera leaned in towards his right ear telling him "Why are you hurting yourself like this?"

When she let him go he closed his eyes as he lowered his head so that when he opened them she'd be in his sights, and he forced himself to take a deep breath as his nature won the battle thanks to her actions.

"Kiera." He said seductively his voice coming out of him like warm velvet as he opened his eyes fixing them upon her own amber irises transfixing her before he stepped forward invading her space as she had his, and putting his nose next to her right ear he added "You're supposed to back away slowly, and remember not to turn tail then run because I'm the sort of monster they warn you about. You really want to try saying I'm not as you invite me to prove it?"

Before she could answer he continued speaking shifting into an almost vicious growl "If you really want to know, I hurt myself like this because I don't want to be the monster I am, but a tiger cannot change his stripes, and if you really want what you're saying you do then sexy Kiera you'll get it, but not today."

"You know I'm glad we're closed already." Mike spoke up as he came out from the kitchen with his wife having finished their routine cleaning adding "If anyone else were here they'd have probably called the cops just from you talking like that."

"And they would be stupid for it." He responded his voice still coming out in a growl though his tone relaxed significantly.

"Would they?" Erika, Kiera's mom asked skeptically.

"For only hearing that I'm talking in a growl, and not how I'm saying what I'm saying, let alone what I'm saying then yes they'd be fucking stupid." He told her the tone of his growl remaining relaxed adding "Surely me saying this, this way, proves my point self evidently."

"It does, but mammals are stupid, and that's sort of my point. No harm done here, but be careful in the future; we may understand, but many won't even other preds." Mike told him.

"I am well aware how generally no one understands." He responded to Mike unable to not snarl venomously in his anger at the fact adding "Understanding is something I've learned to not expect from anyone, not even the people I trust."

He then turned back to Kiera, his muzzle still contorted in his rage, though despite it being stuck like that he managed to relax his voice back into a more even toned growl as he asked her "How do you know about those with my nature?"

"You're not the only one I know, but I'm not going to out them here." Kiera answered him simply before asking her own question "So how come I can't get what I want today?"

Mike snorted at that before asking "What do you mean nature?"

"I should think it's obvious little-miss-lifted-tail why you're not getting stuck tonight, or any night soon." Erika added chidingly to her daughter though it was ineffective.

"Just 'cause you're on the list doesn't mean you're at the top, no matter how hard you try to get there, Kiera and also think about where I sleep." He answered her doing more to suck the wind out of her sails than her mom before he answered Mike "Let's just say my nature is what it is, I'm not the only one like me, and we're not really all that different from you even if our nature is exactly why we are drastically different from you. To be clear by different I simply mean different, not superior, or inferior."

"You can't keep resisting your nature like this, and you know it." Kiera told him with a frown adding "What about you sleeping on the sofa?"

"I can actually, and it won't actually impact me as negatively as others; it's what makes me stronger than them, ultimately. Not that I'm going to again, no . . . not if I can help it." He told her before explaining "Just 'cause there're legit reasons I should give in with you first doesn't mean that'll be the case. Also I didn't mean it that literally, think about it."

"He doesn't exactly sleep on the sofa." Evalyn who had so far been silent spoke up sipping on her tea as she tried to hide behind the mug before asking him "Why should you give in with her first?"

"Well where does he sleep then?" Kiera asked tilting her head her focus completely caught on that new bit of information.

"She's closer to my size, and that really is significant, but like I said it doesn't mean I will." He answered Evalyn.

"You're polyamorous aren't you? That's what you mean by nature isn't it?" Erika asked him plainly though she got stunned looks from Mike, Kiera, and Evalyn.

"I am, and that's actually why I've been so adamant with Kiera about not getting stuck yet, but no that's not what I mean." He answered her turning their surprised expressions towards him.

"How is that not what you mean?" Mike asked him looking truly puzzled.

"What do you mean that's why you keep telling me not yet?" Kiera also inquired of him quite bewilderedly going on to tell him "That should be more reason for you to give me what I want, get what you need, and we'll both be happier".

"How can that not be what you meant?" Erika asked for herself looking at him quizzically before telling her daughter "Will you lower your tail for five minutes, and think."

"You know what, Mike, Erika forgive me, but stow it; we're gonna talk about something else." He told them before moving to take a seat next to Evalyn which put her on his right, and getting comfortable he looked to Kiera on his left telling her "To be fair I have several reasons I keep telling you, and Evie 'No'. Allow me to list them. My nature is what it is, and I don't want to use you even if you would throw yourself at me for that end. I am, indeed, polyamorous and that complicates things when dealing with the monogamous which I assume is nearly all females especially canids - just my luck. What else? Oh, yeah I've had friendships fall apart after they became more intimate with male, and female alike; I kinda can't afford for that to happen between us. Most of all really, and this is something I don't want to talk about now, but I don't want you to get attached to me Kiera, because I cannot love you in any romantic sense . . . friends with benefits is about the most anyone, anywhere is going to get from me because of the way in which I am wounded."

"Is why you don't want to talk about it something to do with Sophie?" Evalyn asked him with honest concern.

Snapping his head in her direction he could only close his eyes as he whined in his pain before lowering his muzzle in sad defeat to the point he nearly put his nose to the table.

"How . . . how do you know that name?" He asked her as he managed to find his voice, and not start crying at the same time.

"You talk in your sleep. I'm sorry I brought her up." Evalyn told him clearly not having meant to get the reaction out of him that she had in spades.

After a shaky breath as tears won their fight for liberation, and another whine he slowly articulated through his emotions "I never got to say goodbye. That is a hurt I carry, but it is not the one I meant."

"Who was she?" Erika asked with motherly sympathy.

"She was . . ." He started to answer as he looked to her, but in thinking of Sophie, he broke, his voice cracking as the tears that had been a creek decided to flash flood "She was . . . my daughter . . ."

Through his now blurry vision he looked down at his paws, or at least tried to as he said to them "Of all the things I remember, how I had a family, and that is all gone like tears in the rain . . . I miss my daughters, and I can only hope now that the Mother will keep them waiting for me in Ulfheim."

That though was all he managed before buried his muzzle in his paws sobbing uncontrollably. They let him get it out, and for that he was thankful; it had been a catharsis he had needed.

"You were a father?" Erika asked her voice full of compassion as she placed a paw on his arm having approached while his head had been in his paws.

"Not . . . by blood . . ." He told her as he remembered their muzzles, and looking down at his paws - paws not hands - he added "They were strays we took in like Lorelei has taken me in; well Sophie was."

"Stray? You mean homeless?" Erika asked tilting her head.

"No, I meant stray. The connotation is different between humans and animals." He told her only to get his muzzle forcibly closed by a pair of vixen paws since Evalyn had effectively lunged across the table to do so nearly spilling her tea in the process.

"Please no more talk of those; even curled against you I had nightmares." Evalyn practically begged him.

"What kind of nightmares?" He asked her having grasped her wrists as he gently pulled her paws away, but she just shook her head at him.

"Perhaps it is better you don't since you believe they exist at least with most folks; it's kinda a can of worms." Mike agreed with Evalyn adding "I didn't take you for an ancient astronaut theorist."

"Ancient astronaut?" He asked Mike immediately puzzled.

"You know what a human is, but you don't know about ancient astronauts? The proponents posit that instead of going extinct because they were eaten, apes out evolved us, and left into space which is why their fossil record ends. They say humans are the apes that left. They even try to use the fact the apes were the first to have paws as articulate as ours now are as evidence."

"Okay, now that is . . . wow . . . " He responded "I don't know about any of that, and my immediate reaction is to say bullshit, because for humans to leave this world had they evolved here well it'd have to have become uninhabitable, and they'd be on Mars for a start if not the moon too, or at least they would've been and proof would still be there. I mean Buzz Aldrin's boot print on the moon had serious staying power."

"Buzz Aldrin? The first mammal on the moon was Laika the cosmonaut." Mike corrected him.

"More like how do you know that about humans?" Kiera asked.

"If I have nightmares tonight I'm blaming you Kiera." Evalyn told her with a frown.

"So I learned, both the first in space, and the first on the moon in the eighties after the U.S.S.R. fell under it's own weight in the sixties, and America helped them rebuild. Trust me I remember a very different version though the I.S.S. is still the I.S.S." He responded to Mike before telling Kiera "Somewhere out there in the multiverse is a world where they evolved as the sole sapient species on the planet, there are still the apes both greater, and lesser like gorillas, and chimps, and where every other mammal is merely sentient. Apes don't have paws they have hands for that matter, which is why they are so articulate even more so than paws. Trust me I miss fingers; I would have all y'all fighting for attention acting like primitives if I had fingers"

"It is a world where when humanity still hunted, and gathered, before they developed agriculture, there came to be an informal pact of brotherhood between them, and us, we wolves since both our species are highly social pack mammals. Over time though that pact was forgotten, and they came to see the wolf as evil, a vermin to be exterminated . . . to the point that in Japan of all places where Okami were sacred, there are now no wolves. And this is to speak nothing of Canis Familiaris - what became of the wolves who joined the packs of men, and were forever changed." He couldn't help continuing, getting the memories off his chest, and after a short pause he added "Not all humans are bad, and there were many who never forgot the pact, or any of the others humanity had made with the other species they domesticated, but not nearly enough to make a real difference."

"Not all humans are bad?! How can you who talked about mouse traps, fur coats, and nuclear bombs just say that?" Evalyn asked him with an involuntary shudder.

"You miss fingers?" Kiera asked curiously having focused on that off-paw comment of his.

"The multiverse?" Mike asked curious like his daughter though over something completely different.

"You can call me crazy, but I know I'm not - these memories are real. Not all humans are bad, yes Evalyn, and plenty are good. I used to be one, and I don't know how I wound up in this body, but that I am here proves there is different life across the multiverse. To be honest I think I'm the one that died, not all of my family, but the result is the same so yeah since I'm alive here it's easier to just put it that way." He told them before in afterthought adding in answer to Mike, and Kiera "Like a paw has digits, a hand has fingers, but they look drastically different. Multiverse as in more than one universe to exist in. It actually follows from quantum mechanics in a way, since if a quark can be in two places at once then why not in each universe different versions of you, or me, or worlds where we don't exist, at a super-macro level compared to the quantum scale, and the versions of us share quarks. If you think about it quarks also prove teleportation is a thing, just getting it to work on our scale is the trick."

"I'm not going to call you crazy, David, because I know you're not, but what you just said will get you called crazy by everyone else." Mike told him with wide eyes, and his ears splayed back.

"At least you're not asking him what humans look like, and please don't now that I mentioned it; please." Evalyn commented.

She then flexed her paws, and asked him "So, not that I really mind this position, but you gonna let me go?"

"No, I'm going to pull you into me, and then carry you out of here just because I can." He responded with a grin as he released her.

"Promises, promises." Evalyn grinned back at him as she got herself off the table, and back into her chair.

"Will you carry me out of here?" Kiera asked wagging her tail hopefully.

"Don't tempt me, and see what happens." He answered her turning his grin on her, and chuckling internally as he noted how that confused her.

"So when you say stray it's because your daughters weren't human?" Erika who sharp as ever had been listening to him asked in the wake of her daughter's silence.

"No. No they weren't." He responded his ears splaying back as he narrowed his gaze on her, his tail wagging behind him with slow stiffness in short strokes.

"Whoa, I didn't mean it like that." She assured him adding with sincere honesty "I'm just trying to understand. So you've never seen species as something to be a barrier between mammals?"

"Well it can be a barrier it certain respects; I mean can an elephant fuck a mouse, but in general? No it's not a barrier" He told her adding with a frown "Sorry, it's just that I'm used to how a human would've asked that question."

"How would a human have asked that?" Erika asked in response.

"With derision of one sort, or another." He replied disdainfully adding "I once was berated by a bible thumping, and abusive tweaker who called me the sort of sinner doomed irredeemably come the apocalypse. All because to a human all other mammals are only animals, well most humans, and I am beyond even the animal lovers who would say 'like my children' because they were my children. _They are all my children even if the Father does not claim them; I Do._ "

"If the Father does not?" Erika asked tentatively.

" _They are all my sons, and daughters Canis Familiaris, my love for them is the same as his for you._ " He answered his voice having shifted into deeper more melodic tones " _Just because the vessel I once inhabited was human where now it is wolf does not make my soul identical to the vessel it's in._ "

"So this is what it's like to hear a Voice of the Father?" Kiera asked adding admiringly "Damn you are sexy."

" _No, Kiera. I speak with my own voice. Either I am him, or I am someone else. I do not remember._ " He responded the words seeming to flow out of him.

"How many daughters did you have?" Erika asked him.

" _That I could call mine, and got to truly show my love? Before I died? Two daughters, and a son._ " He answered her adding as the emotions in him welled again " _I can remember their muzzles, but not their names._ "

"Except for Sophie." Evalyn stated.

" _Yes, Sophie my Sweet Daughter . . ._ " He responded trailing off.

"You're certain you died? But you're alive." Mike asked him confusedly.

"Between my last memory from when I had hands to when I woke up in the woods with paws there is a gap. This isn't like with past lives - vague impressions. The only way I can explain it is that I died, but how I got from the vessel I had to this one? Fuck if I know." He told Mike his voice returning to normal.

"So you remember life on another world? How different is life here?" Kiera asked only for Evalyn to immediately respond "Nooo . . . that's what my mom asked. What he answered will fuel your nightmares."

"I really am sorry about that Evalyn, I was just drunk enough to sink ships with my loose lips, and as your mom got me talking the memories came to the fore. I will try not to wander onto those subjects again, for your sake; I don't want to give you nightmares." He told her sincerely before saying to Kiera "Life there for a human isn't much different than life is for you. The Doctor still has a funny little blue box that's bigger on the inside, and there is still the saga of the Skywalkers in a galaxy far far away where Han shot first until it was edited, and somehow a wonky cgi jazz number needed to be added to Return of the Jedi. The less we speak of episodes seven, and eight the better. Anime is still Anime thank the kami, but whoo does it all look different; but that's a given since here it's all mammals except for the humans who are sapient, and humans never evolved here to begin with - it's actually pretty fucking cool diving into."

"Okay where was that soft, and fluffy version the other night?" Evalyn asked indignantly.

"I'm sorry, but that is the way memories can be; it's the negative shit that leaves the strongest impressions." He responded, his ears splaying back as he lowered his head while looking at her.

"Just what sort of things were you talking about to get this sort of reaction out of her?" Erika asked with a gesture to Evalyn.

"You ever kill a chicken?" He asked her unhesitatingly as Evalyn reflexively covered her ears.

"No; I'm a baker not a butcher." Erika answered him.

"You Mike, or Kiera? You ever kill a chicken? Or how bout a fish?" He asked them in turn while Evalyn started softly repeating to herself 'La la la la'.

"No." Kiera answered while Mike told him "It's been a while, but I like going fishing."

"Alright, yay. So, you Mike will sort of get where I'm coming from. Remember how I said on the human world I knew… still know… anyway Humans are the only sapient mammals, all others even the other apes are only sentient like birds, or fish here. We as wolves would get shot on sight, or tranqed, and relocated if we're lucky, foxes might become pets, but could also be farmed for their fur. Elephants get hunted, and killed just for their ivory tusks with the corpses left to rot even though it is illegal. Like I said of wolves being exterminated from Japan, though there were other populations keeping the species alive; other species were not so lucky having been hunted into extinction. Mice can be pets too, and were really cool as such, but most are disease carrying vermin . . . I am no stranger to bashing in their skulls once they've been caught by a glue trap. The same way you'd beat a fish on a rock." He told them before concluding "As cruel, and vicious as any mammal can be to a chicken, humans could, and would be just as vicious and cruel with all other life, not just all the sentient life around them, but to each other too. At the same time that, that undercurrent runs through humanity, there are humans who rail against it finding it abhorrent."

"Is he done, did he stop?" Evalyn asked tentatively lifting her right paw from the ear it covered.

"Nope, just getting a second wind. I was about to get into communism, jew gassing, and the world wars." He joked with her with a grin.

At that Evalyn eeped quickly recovering her ears only to shortly realize he was still grinning at her, and in response as she lowered her paws she told him "Fuck you, you jerk."

For good measure she leaned towards him, and landed as solid a punch as she could manage to his right shoulder.

"Ow." He said exaggerating a margin as he rubbed his shoulder adding "Well, that didn't tickle."

"Wasn't meant to." Evalyn responded plainly without missing a beat.

"Okay communism is never good, and gassing jews sounds bad, but what do you mean world war?" Mike asked him.

"No it's not in any form economic, or cultural. I am learning as I read up on your history that with the distinction between predator, and prey dividing mammalkind such as it has here that Marxist ideology, and national socialism manifested quite differently, but still to the same effects - humanity as apex omnivores didn't have, and had no need for that distinction. Speaking of omnivorous, that's how I remember the taste of pecan pie, and how to make one." He answered adding "It is amazing to me how communist herd mammals in gaining power oppress preds, while just as predictably the nationalistic socialists are predominantly preds who when in power put that boot on the other foot. If not for the fact that the west managed to remain a bastion of liberty, and most wars have been either civil-wars, or small scale between a few nations near as I can tell the peace that exists today would be impossible. That is how poisonous those ideologies are here, on the world I knew there were very different factors in the conflicts that arose in the twentieth century between them, and they were no less insidious."

"Okay, before I get going, and I promise Evie this will be the light version - the short answer Mike is that world war means just that - nearly all nations across the world at war with one another." He told them then taking a breath continued "World war one started when the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria or Hungary was assassinated by a Slav - the sort of thing that would've normally just sparked a civil war, and that's that, but instead each initial smaller nation called in their treaties of alliance with larger nations, and everyone got dragged into the conflict even America. Now when it was over, and millions were dead, the victors America, Britain, France - particularly the French - laid blame at Germany's feet, and forced them to pay exorbitant reparations. Also at the end of world war one, nineteen seventeen to be specific, there was the Red Russian Revolution led by Lenin. That's the groundwork, now the precursor catalyst of world war two is how the post war boom for America led to the Federal Reserve, and a great deal of speculation in the stock market, the problems with capitalism raising their hand to be counted which led to the Great Depression which devastated most of the world economically. Now in already hard hit Germany this led to conditions worsening to the point that the communists and the national socialists fought in the streets, and in nineteen thirty three with Adolf Hitler becoming chancellor the national socialists won, and he became a dictator. Germany rebuilt, started conquering, and gaining more strength while Britain wrung its hands, and America said laissez faire. This eventually led into world war two, with America only joining the war after Germany had conquered almost all of Europe, Britain being the sole holdout. Germany at the same time had stalled on their eastern front in Russia thanks to the winter. The Germans used blitzkrieg tactics, and didn't plan for winter when winter always comes. Now on the flipside of the globe, Japan was the Germany of the east conquering as much of asia as they could, but the mistake they made was attacking the U.S. specifically Hawai'i which really mobilized us. The economic activity that encouraged really got us out of the depression. Around this time also, since the war had spawned an arms race, the Germans and Japanese together, and the Americans on our own were trying to develop a nuclear bomb. The war was getting towards the end though, America bolstering the Allies on one side, and Russia on the other pincered Germany with Russia taking Berlin. The German sub trying to get fissionable material to Japan who were still in the fight sank. America were the first to the bomb, and after forcing the Japanese back to their islands where they dug in like ticks with suicide bomber streaks, well in order to save lives the bombs got dropped, one on Hiroshima, and one on Nagasaki each killing a couple hundred thousand and scarring the earth for decades. Yeah, the nuclear bomb, came before the reactor, into public consciousness at least. Now I kinda skipped the holocaust, but well in short in Germany the Jews for being predominantly bankers, and shit became the Nazi scapegoats, they were rounded up in concentration camps for forced labor throughout the war, and as Germany began losing the Final Solution got started, where those imprisoned Jews were killed on an industrial scale with chambers full of lethal gas, they were cremated after the silver, and gold had been pulled from their teeth if their corpses had any in their heads. Six million dead, and the Jews will never let you forget it, just like the Armenians, never mind how in Russia and China communism killed well over three times as many and the Jewish upper hierarchy used it to have the U.N. set up Israel causing problems with the Jews, and Arabs already peacefully living in the middle east. That'd later lead to the rise of terrorism, but the west in greed for oil exacerbated it. Anyway after America dropped the bombs, Japan surrendered, and the war was officially over. America helped Japan rebuild, Russia shut east Europe behind an Iron curtain, and well the times they were a changin'."

"Ferdinand was the Archduke of Austria, and his assassination led to the war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, but no one else joined in." Mike corrected him before asking him "Did you say apex omnivore?"

"Yes, apex omnivore. Like I told you I remember clearly bashing in mice skulls, I remember well the tase of a good beef hamburger with bacon, and cheese . . . mmm, blue cheese, and bacon . . . I can even tell you the best burger I ever had, had candied bacon, and blueberry ketchup. My favorite pie still is pecan, and I still love white chocolate over dark. You think I'm crazy for loving garlic, and trying to put what you call toxic levels in my food, but it's not lethal for humans at all - that aspect of this . . . transition . . . is what I'm really finding hard. I can live without eating bovine, and pork, but I hated turkey bacon which is my only option now; I am still very serious when I say why eat someone you could befriend?. I mean a human eating another human is just as much taboo as predation is here, and for much the same reason with the added bonus of there being a specific disease that'd eat away your brain from consuming the flesh of your fellow man." He answered before telling Mike "Yeah it was just a minor war to you here, 'cause that's your history, and I'm telling you what I remember. You don't have to believe me that the multiverse is real, with parallel worlds that're similar yet distinctly different; this isn't Kokaku Kidotai, I haven't been hacked with the Firestarter virus and my memories faked, I'm not a replicant from Blade Runner with implanted memories."

"I believe you, David." Erika told him "For one thing I have an uncle who is an ancient alien theorist, and they all speculate about humanity where you are so certain and a lot more lucid. Also I've noticed how you don't approach food like a wolf at all; I mean you have a carnivores sensibilities, but you willingly eat more vegetables than any wolf I know, and you eat things we wouldn't touch like you've always enjoyed them."

"I'm a wolf now, and much happier for it; I tell you that now. If I could go back, I'd kill whoever made me that offer. Ulfheim's the place I'll go next, and that day of dying is the one I'll live for, not some past I've left behind for the better. The loss may hurt like hell, but it's forward that I'm looking." He told her with honest sincerity, his ears raising alertly in his body language displaying his optimism which was stronger than any pessimism in his choice of words.

"Did you just paraphrase Pirates of the Caribbean? And are you serious, you're happier as a wolf?" Kiera asked him before saying matter of factly "I don't care what you were, just like I don't care what you are, it's who you are that matters."

"Hashtag team Barbossa; I love that line, they're words to live by dying being the day worth living for. I also really want one of his hats from the first one with the really wide brim - a bigger hat is always better." He couldn't help telling her like the nerd he was before adding succinctly "I feel and am more me in this body, and I have a place here along with opportunity to improve it that I never did yet always wanted. Thanks to all of you, and Lorelei . . . I will fight fang, and claw to keep it."

"I'm not going to lie David, for me it's hard to really wrap my mind around so I can't say I believe you, but I won't say I don't because honestly these differences you talk about are fascinating. I will say though as another male and wolf, from how I've seen, and heard you interact with my daughter especially today that you're made of different stuff than any other wolf I know of; I'd rather someone with your sense of honor do with her what I want no male to ever do with her, as her father, than any dumb cub her age." Mike told him before somewhat awkwardly asking "You, uh, were you serious about, well, being intimate with other males?"

"That's really all I could ask for Mike, thank you, and for the love of god why did you tell me that; never mind in her hearing?." He couldn't help asking in response his ears folding back as he looked at Mike as if he'd lost some serious screws before shifting his muzzle as he asked warily "I prefer females, but I have an oral fixation, and don't mind sucking dick. At all. What of it?"

"I trust you David, and you haven't given me any reason not to. My daughter on the other paw, I trust about as far as I can throw her at least where you're concerned, but I'm not gonna lie to her either." Mike answered him plainly without hesitation before telling him "Nothing of it to me, I don't care what floats your boat, but one wolf to his brother know that a lot of wolves aren't so accepting at least with other males. With females they don't really care, the hypocrites."

"Fair enough." He conceded before adding with a nod "Duly noted, but that's nothing new to me. I'm used to playing it straight; I mean I would've fooled you right, if I hadn't said something?"

"Heh, yeah you got that right, in fact I actually kinda find the thought of you, and another male strange after seeing my daughter get to you like she did." Mike responded

At that Kiera snorted before telling her dad "No, it's not strange at all."

"To be fair Kiera, you already know." Evalyn told her giving her a look as if to say ' _Shut up._ '

"Well that explains a few things, Thanks Evie." He said to her with a sarcastic bite realizing why Kiera had said what she had before he clarified his sentiment "I don't blame you, she's on the level for that sort of sharing. If I were you with her alone I'd have done the same thing."

He then turned to Kiera, and simply stared at her blankly with the barest of grins, intent on unnerving her.

"What's going on? Evie." Erika asked pointedly.

"I really don't think you want to know miss Pines." Evalyn told her nervously.

"Alright, what? Why are you looking at me like that?" Kiera asked him before shaking her head to relieve the tension as he got to her.

"So what did you think?" He asked in response his grin turning into a smirk as he blinked.

"Of . . ." Kiera started to ask before her eyes widened as she realized what he meant, and with her tail fanning her scent she answered him "I want to know if there're are any other ways to make you growl like that."

"Of course you do. Well . . ." He replied with a shrug as he trailed off.

At that Kiera just reached out her paw, and mimed slowly pressing a large button before retracting her paw, and saying "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

While Evalyn buried her muzzle in her paws embarrassedly he simply flipped Kiera off still smiling.

"Okay, what the hell happened? Honest Brother?" Mike asked him.

"Do you know what Auto-Falatio is?" He asked curiously in response.

"Yeah." Mike answered tentatively looking like someone had put sour milk under his nose.

"Well Evie didn't so I demonstrated." He told him simply.

"Okay . . . yeah, I did not need to know that. Now it's my turn to ask you why the holy fuck you told me, but I asked didn't I?" Mike responded.

"You demonstrated?" Erika asked raising her eyebrow in curiosity.

"For the love of the Mother, why?" Mike asked his wife pleadingly adding in protest "He doesn't need to go into details we get the idea. What he does is his business."

"Oh, I demonstrated alright." He told Erika unabashadly, unafraid to own it.

"See? No details." Mike asked Erika.

At that he couldn't help adding "If you want to watch the video Erika I'm sure Kiera would be happy to show you. I imagine she does have a copy, sharing is caring afterall."

"Why are you going into details? We don't need to know." Mike asked him with a frown.

"So then Evie recorded you, and . . ." Erika started to ask before she imitated the slow button press gesture her daughter had before breaking into a giggle fit.

Mike just looked at her as if she'd grown two heads.

"Trust me Mike, I'm not going into details; I don't disagree, I don't need to tell you, and you don't need to know, but watching you squirm was hilarious."

"You dick." Mike told him with a grin.

"Hey, honey." Erika said to her husband causing him to look to her, and say "Yeah?"

At that she just reached out her paw, and pressed down on his head then took her paw back giggling even harder.

"That's not funny." Mike told her indignantly with a frown.

"He seemed to enjoy it." Kiera commented getting in on making her dad uncomfortable.

"Oh, I did." He added with a broad grin looking right at Erika who after that was in need of a moment to catch her breath.

"Alright, I'm getting the car warmed up." Mike told them before making his way out of the cafe.

They were silent a moment after he left before they too got themselves together. Evalyn killed her tea, as did Kiera, and while they slung their backpacks over their shoulders he took their cups into the kitchen where they'd get washed in the morning either by him, or Erika.

On his way out of the kitchen he noted the girls waiting for him, and remembering what he'd told Kiera he quickened his pace so that while her mom was just walking through the door he reached her, and picked her up over his shoulder. For good measure he playfully gave Kiera's backside a claiming sort of bite.

"Hey, I saw that." Erika told him, but he could only grin with Kiera's wagging tail obscuring his vision.

Thankfully in its wagging Kiera's tail moved out of the way enough that he could see where he was going without falling. As he carried her out the door, which Erika was holding open so she could lock it, he realized he should've thought through the nip he'd given Kiera's rear. Her ass might not have been directly in his muzzle, but it was close enough, and the scent of her which he had encouraged was strong enough he couldn't help panting despite not actually needing to. It certainly sucked a few of his mental streetlights into a deluminator, and before he set her down once they were outside he didn't resist his desire to run his tongue along the length of her tail that he could reach which got a startled noise out of her.

"You did not just..." Kiera said to him after he'd set her down before growling in irritated frustration.

"Hahaha." He laughed in response through his panting which in the cold evening air of Tundra Town was helping to clear his lungs of the pheromones he could still taste.

"You really like doing that don't you?" Evalyn asked him with a chuckle of her own.

"I'd be lying if I said no." He answered turning towards her at which Kiera grabbed his ass in retaliation though he didn't react to it.

"He licked your tail didn't he Kiera?" Her mom asked having locked the door.

"Maybe." Kiera responded evasively.

"Oh, I did no different than how I am with Evie, or Lorelei." He told Erika willingly.

"I expected you to, after you bit her like you did." Erika told him adding "You remind me of how Mike was when we first started going out; having cubs changed him in that regard. It's funny how you two are similar like that when you and him are very different wolves."

As she started walking towards where their car was with her husband in it, which prompted them to follow her, she continued to him "I've had a feeling since you started working with us, hearing you fawn over little Jericho everytime Luna has brought him with her, and the way you are with the other cubs who walk in; can I just tell you I'm not surprised you were a father, and I cannot imagine what that must be like for you. If I got taken from my son, and my daughter like that let alone Mike and was aware of it like you are . . . I think I'd just curl up in a bawl, and will myself to death."

"That's the experiment I forget which psychologist came up with. Put a puppy in a box with an electric floor, and a closeable exit then watch what happens when you close the exit with the floor on constant. Without escape just lie down to die is the response." He couldn't help spewing out with disgust as her words reminded him of it adding "Valuable observation, but fucked up motherfucking human."

"He was a wolf, who used his own cubs in the experiment, but yeah - it's a useful thing to know, about our most base reactions, but he was fucked up for doing it. I hope the Father gave his soul the justice he deserved." Erika told him.

"I'll remember that." He responded with a nod.

They weren't walking for much longer before they got to the car which was running with Mike relaxed in the driver seat. When they reached it they didn't waste much time getting in with Erika taking shotgun while he got behind her on the passenger side, and Kiera got behind her dad after Evalyn had occupied the middle seat. ' _We make a vixen sandwich._ ' he couldn't help thinking to himself with an internal grin about how Evie was between him and Kiera though he kept it to himself having already made enough jokes the first time.

While he got them on the road Mike reached a paw to the controls, and turned on the radio which was tuned into the local rock station. After the station I.D. played reminding them they were listening to 95.7 METL The Wolf, Zootopia's best, and only rock and metal station dedicated to playing both the classics, and the modern hits the track that began playing was "Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar.

Bobbing his head to the music since it was one of his favorites by Pat he couldn't help saying "This song reminds me of Metal Gear Solid five The Phantom Pain."

"My big brother played that game, it was pretty cool, I don't remember this being on the soundtrack though." Kiera commented.

"It wasn't, but it should've been just like Africa by Toto, and Dogs of War by Pink Floyd. That's how it reminds me." He explained to Kiera adding "Diamond Dogs by Bowie would've been a cool bonus tape to collect too."

"You mean Pig Floyd?" Mike corrected him.

"The lyric is which one's pink, Mike. They may be Pig Floyd here, and lord do I still love their music, but it's motherfucking Pink Floyd, and I'm not budging on that. It's Guns and Roses too for that matter not Guns and Rodents. Thank god Black Sabbath is still Black Sabbath." He responded adamantly.

"Wait, so you played the game as a human?" Kiera asked.

"Pink Floyd." Mike repeated as if trying it out his focus still staying on the road.

"Metal Gear Solid three got me into the series, but I didn't come back to it until The Phantom Pain; the whole mess with Kojima-san just depresses me. The less we talk about Snake Eater Pachinko, and Metal Gear Survive the better. It's on par with what evil Yensid has allowed to happen to Star Wars under the SJW's." He answered Kiera.

"Did you just say Yensid?" Mike asked with enthusiastic curiosity.

"I wasn't born for lovin' I was born to raise hell." He responded adding "Rock & Rule, like Heavy Metal are some of my favorite western animated films."

"Rock & Rule wasn't animated. It was like the Canadian Rocky Horror." Mike corrected him.

"Holy shit, you're fucking kidding me? So it's live action here? I need to see this, yesterday." He couldn't help saying his nerd dial turned to thirteen.

"Okay before you two fangirl; what do you mean the whole mess with Kojima, Snake Eater Pachinko, and Metal Gear Survive?" Kiera asked clarifying "My big brother is kinda a fan of Metal Gear, and I'm pretty sure he'd have mentioned those things."

"Hang on. Are you telling me things might be different here in that regard? Have you heard about Kojima Productions reforming? Their logo changed from the Fox to a sort of Helmet, and their new game they're finishing is called Death Stranding." He couldn't help asking her quite seriously.

"Uh, it was news a couple months ago Kojima left Konami after they rushed M.G.S. five to start his own thing, and he reformed his studio. If I remember right, he's leaving Metal Gear alone for a while to work on something new, but no one knows what it's called." Kiera answered.

"No... Wait, you said he's leaving it alone to work on a new I.P.? He still has the rights to what is rightfully his?" He couldn't help asking her daring to hope.

"Yeah, he kept the rights." Kiera told him.

"Evalyn, pardon my reach." He said to her as he leaned over her to lick Kiera's muzzle before she could really react saying as he pulled away "You told me good news, thank you."

"You're welcome." Kiera responded still clearly surprised by the sudden, but not unwelcome, affection.

"So, the Rock & Rule you remember was animated. Not gonna lie that does sound interesting, and your talk of a parallel world is starting to make more sense." Mike told him.

"Yeah, the soundtrack was amazing, I mean Robin Zander, and Debbie Harry doing duets plus Lou Reed; just awesomeness for your ears. They were only the singing voices though, getting famous actors, or other entertainers to do voice over for animated titles is mostly a Yensid thing, especially with the Ghibli films when they do the dubbing." He responded.

"Wait, they only did the singing voices? The version here they acted in it, and got credit for it; they weren't exactly the best per-se, but like you said the soundtrack was amazing. They even got Earth, Wind and Fire to cameo for the club scene." Mike replied.

"So Debbie Harry actually as Angel, and Lou Reed as Mok? Please tell me you have a copy." He said to Mike almost beggingly.

"I do, and the soundtrack too if you want to copy it to your phone. We can watch it the next time you're over." Mike told him easily.

"You are going the right way Mike for a free blowjob, just lettin' you know." He told Mike unable to not grin.

"You don't need to do that." Mike said quickly clearly caught off guard.

"Hey, that's my job." Erika told him good naturedly, but clearly meaning what she meant.

"Well how else am I supposed to show my gratitude?" He asked catching Mike's eyes in the rear view mirror which caused him to quickly look back at the road.

"There are a million other ways. I do not want to picture that." Kiera told him clearly grossed out by his suggestion.

"You're not exaggerating are you?" Evalyn asked him curiously.

"It's the way I'd show my gratitude if he let me, and not just for what we were just talking about." He answered her.

"I think the respect you've shown my daughter shows your gratitude enough." Mike told him quickly.

"I'm the same with your daughter that I am with any female." He responded dismissively before asking Mike "Why does me simply being honest with you make you so uncomfortable? You're a happily mated wolf, do you really think I'd go there with you? I mean I would if you'd say yes, but there is no possibility of that so yeah, de nada."

"You know you're lucky..." He couldn't help continuing "You fell for someone who fell for you, and actually claimed you."

"Is that why you don't want to talk about it? Being no longer able to love romantically?" Evalyn asked him placing her paw over his.

"That… that happened to you?" Mike asked as if he didn't believe his ears.

"I'm so sorry, David." Erika told him sympathetically.

"What bitch would be stupid enough to not claim you if she had the chance?" Kiera asked actually incensed.

"It's only the second half of the story Evalyn, and I don't want to talk about it because I know none of you will understand." He answered her plainly adding "It's more than I could ask that you're not calling me crazy for talking about my memories as a human, I'm not gonna strain your minds further than that."

He then told Kiera "She was only human, and we were never meant to be to begin with because I am what I am. That was something I knew before what we had grew; prophetic visions can be a bitch."

"How do you know we won't understand? Shouldn't you give us a chance?" Evalyn asked him with a frown.

He could tell his words had hurt her, but it didn't change how he meant them, and in his effort to at least explain where his stance was coming from he asked her "Do you know what it is like to be an empath? To not only be able to pick up on others emotions, but to have your own be so much stronger than others? Can you imagine an empath turning themselves into an apath, or at least near as to make little difference? I have a whole lifetime full of experience with no one ever understanding no matter how simple I try to put things; it's not their fault, or yours Evie - in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king, but the two eyed man is in hell"

That shut everyone up, and he felt a little bad for it, but it was the truth; ugly, cold, and unmerciful, but the truth.

In the silence that ruled the rest of the drive to their apartment building he noted how Evalyn's paw on his arm hadn't moved, and how she was slightly leaning against him. Feeling her he couldn't help how his thoughts turned to what his words had been, and he reflected on them.

He hadn't been kidding when he told them it was the negative things that remained strongest in his memories, and it would be a simple thing for him to talk about it, but it all remained past the point where he could within reason trust anyone to understand. ' _Maybe I should try? To trust them where I couldn't trust before._ ' He thought to himself, but in response came ' _But they are still only unaware mortals_.' That thought though was countered by ' _They understood about our akazukin not claiming us._ ' ' _Yeah, 'cause they're not human, and I'm closer to them in that regard than I was to being human._ '

Before he realized it they'd stopped, and were in front of their building which was his cue to unbuckle his seat belt, and get out which he presently did.

"Have a good night you guys, and I'll see you in the morning." He said to them in goodbye as Evalyn got out.

"Yep, see you in the morning." Mike answered him good naturedly.

Erika, and Kiera likewise bade them a good night which Evalyn for her own part returned after which he shut the car door, and they headed inside.

* * *

"Kiera." Her dad said as he got them headed home with such seriousness he caught her completely off guard "We need to talk."

"About what?" She asked her gut clenching in nervousness.

"That wolf is dangerous, and with him you are playing with fire." Her dad told her, and it scared her a little.

"He's that wolf, now?" She couldn't help asking defensively.

"Listen to your father." Her mom told her reassuringly.

Her mother's tone hurt, and she felt a sense of betrayal that her mother was siding with her dad on this.

"Right now, yes. He is that wolf." Her dad answered her "I wasn't lying Kiera when I told him that I trust him more than I trust you. He is a bigger alpha; I have no choice but to trust him. I thank the Mother he is more worthy of that trust than I could've hoped for in a wolf you set your eyes on. Honey, I just want you to understand; I've seen other males turned on to the point they go primal, and I've been there myself too, but never have I seen a male get pushed to that line, and so clearly step back from it. He's a male though, and not even he is made of stone. I just want you to be careful around him alright?"

"Wait, seriously?" She asked incredulously as she realized what her dad was about, and she couldn't keep in a short laugh.

"It's not a laughing matter Kiera. I don't think you saw how he was really looking at you. It was like you were food, and before you say other males can make that look, they have nothing on him." Her mother chided her.

She chuckled at that before telling them "I know what his nature is, you don't. You're preaching to the choir on this dad, and mom I know the look he gave me very well. Like I said he isn't the only one I know, but he sure takes a cake, and I'm not outing them so don't ask."

After a short pause she added "I know I need to be careful with him, but just like you trust him dad, so do I."

* * *

As they were riding the elevator up he used the moment alone to say to her "I'm sorry Evalyn, I didn't say what I did to hurt your feelings."

"It's okay David, I… I get it." Evalyn told him softly "I heard your howling, and I have heard you whimper in your sleep - you carry a lot of hurt, but you hide it well."

"It is my place to smile as I bleed." He replied honestly before telling her "Even with all the hurt I carry, this life I have now is a second chance I couldn't have dreamed of, and that started with you."

"Do you really believe that?" Evalyn asked him sadly before adding as he could smell her scent shift with arousal "You don't want us to get attached, but then you say things like that. How is that fair?"

"I know it, Evie. Life is full of suffering, and that suffering is beautiful; the sooner one embraces it the sooner they move beyond it. The necessary suffering anyway, like losing everyone you care about to death, or distance; unnecessary suffering is still to be avoided ardently." He answered her philosophically before his tone shifted like her scent as he told her "It is only the truth, and the truth is not always fair."

As the car dinged and the doors opened he didn't resist his urge to scoop her up princess style, and carry the rest of the way to the apartment where Lorelei would be waiting having only just gotten home herself.

"You really enjoy the fact I'm smaller than you, and you can do this don't you?" Evalyn asked him her tail wagging against his stomach.

"You have no idea. 'Cause I can do this." He told her before burying his nose in her crotch, and inhaling deeply before pulling his head back up looking like a scent drunk idiot which he very much was.

"You perv." Evalyn teasingly scolded him as she leaned forward and lightly slapped him which only made him grin wider.

"I'm gonna go take a good cold shower once we get inside anyway, so I figured why not go for broke." He told her with a mirthful chuckle.

"You definitely need one." She said laughing with him.

When they reached their door he paused needing to reach for his key, but not wanting to put Evalyn down. His solution was to shift his hold so that his left arm went along her spine supporting her which freed his right paw to quickly reach in his pocket. Fishing his keys from under his wallet where they'd settled, he didn't waste time unlocking the door since holding up an almost forty pound vixen with one arm while doable wasn't optimal. That done he got his right arm back under her legs before bending his knees so he could use his right paw to open the door.

"Tadaima." He said as he crossed the threshold, and set Evalyn back on her feet.

"Okaeri." Lorelei responded before telling them "I ordered pizza for dinner."

"Oh, okay. I was thinking of fixing vixen for dinner, but alright I'll save that for another night." He couldn't help responding to that jokingly which caused Evalyn to backpaw him in the chest.

"Hey, mom. Ignore him; Kiera got him going. Again." Evalyn greeted her mom.

"She did though." He agreed before adding as he waggled his eyebrows at Lorelei "So if you need me I'll be in the shower."

With that he walked off to the bathroom, and once inside got the water going then stripped. After the water was warm enough to his paw he got in, and let the heat relax away his tension. When that relaxation got to the point that blood flow diverted to his lower head which wasn't helped by thoughts of Lorelei and Evie naked, he didn't hesitate to turn the water as cold as it would go, and it was all he could do not to whine under the spray at the swift temperature change.

* * *

"Evie can I talk to you for a moment?" Her mother asked her as the sound of the shower starting up came down the hall.

"Sure." She responded easily as she made her way over to the sofa taking off her backpack.

"It's about David." Her mother told her.

"What about him?" She asked curiously her attention piqued.

"Ugh… how to put this . . . this is gonna be awkward for the both of us so let's not beat around the bush . . ." Her mom said more to herself than anything before she looked her in the eye saying "I don't mind you sleeping next to him him or having him in your bed for that purpose, he does sleep quieter, but you're old enough and he _is_ a _desirable_ male."

"Whoah, whoah. Really mom we're gonna have this conversation? We haven't done anything so far, and you've heard him; he doesn't want to go there with us, or Kiera for that matter." She couldn't help saying quickly not wanting to get into this with her mom.

"You didn't let me finish, Evie. You, and I both know Kiera wants his knot. I would be more surprised if you didn't want it too, because even to me he is desirable, and believe me just because he keeps saying 'no' doesn't mean he doesn't want to say 'yes'. I just want to know if you're prepared for him telling all three of us yes."

"What?" She couldn't help asking completely caught off guard.

"He's been very specific so far, he will not repay us with sex if that is why we want it. I haven't gotten him yet with the fact that if we don't want sex for that reason, but want sex say just for its own sake there's no reason for him to say 'no'. He has left that door open whether he realizes it or not." Her mom told her, her inner lawyer showing through.

"Wait, so?" She asked open endedly as she scrunched her muzzle as she thought about that.

"Smart as he is he's probably aware of it on a subconscious level at least; if either of us walked in the bathroom right now, you know he doesn't lock the door since it's our only bathroom, and told him we just wanted to fuck we could probably get him to do whatever we wanted." Her mother said almost musing to herself as if she hadn't heard her.

"Who are you, and what did you do with my mom?" She asked unable to believe her mother of all mammals suggesting _that_ ; it didn't help that now she was thinking about what would happen if she _did_ just join him, but then her mom was home wouldn't that be awkward, or cause problems?

"What?" Her mom asked back as if she hadn't said anything unusual before telling her "Just because you haven't seen me show interest in another male doesn't mean I don't have it; I have a pulse, most males just don't get it going. You're father was one of the few, and so what if I finally find another one, and am considering him in that way."

"You still haven't answered me Evie." Her mother continued as her ears swallowed what she was saying like treacle "Do you want to have sex with him, and whether you do or not, are you gonna be okay with Me, and Kiera getting stuck with him?"

"I . . . I don't know . . ." She said because a response of some sort was required as her mom's words ' _stuck with him_ ' resonated in her mind, and made her think of how she felt when his arms were wrapped around her as they slept and what it would feel like to add him being in her to that.

The part of her doing the imagining was all on board for finding out just what that would feel like, but having seen already how big he was the part of her that was more rational seemed to bring up just how much knots expanded. As the one train of thought seemed to drive a tingle in between her legs, the other drove her gut to tighten not so much out of fear as of nervous caution; if his cock didn't have a knot she felt she probably would be planning to test out her mother's theory about getting him to do whatever she wanted. That thought though brought her around, and she asked her mom "You'd be okay with him having sex with me? Even if you were here?"

"Well . . . yes, but… if I were here? . . . I'd probably want to join you." Her mother responded before asking "Why do you think I'm asking you if you'd be okay with you, me, and Kiera having sex with him? Hell we could get together, and overpower him into a foursome; the only question then would be who gets his knot first."

"But would it really even fit? Like after it gets bigger? Wouldn't that hurt?" She couldn't help asking in reply before what her mom really said sank in, and she exclaimed "Did you just suggest we rape him?"

"What? No. Don't be ridiculous. You see how Kiera gets to him when she flirts, trust me if all three of us exploited that chink in his armor . . . Oh, it could be fun for all four of us; it's just a question of if you, and her are down for that." Her mother explained with a frown at her misunderstanding before she grinned saying "Also, if that's the uh, block in your way I can show you if you want. In fact why don't I do that? I will be right back."

Before she could say anything back her mom was off the couch, and heading down the hall. Assuming her mother was headed for the bathroom, she followed intent to stop her, but as she rounded the corner she saw her mom had ignored the bathroom, and gone into her room. That gave her pause, and she couldn't help raising an eyebrow as she tilted her head waiting to see what her mom was really up to.

As her mom left her room she saw quite clearly what she'd been about, and what she'd retrieved which seemed to compel her to swiftly turn tail, and retreat at least back to the sofa. She managed to sit down before her mom reached the end of the hall, but that only put her closer to eye level with what was in her mom's paw, and her eyes that already were like saucers threatened to fly off as the realistically red _weapon_ passed barely a foot from her nose.

"Okay." Her mom said as she sat down on the other end of the sofa then turned towards her shifting into a cross legged position entirely on the sofa cushion, and readied the implement in her paw.

"You wanted to know just how he'll fit, and how I know he'll fit." Her mother began as she out of reflexive politeness assumed a similar position on the sofa facing her "Firstly you'd be surprised just how much the body can stretch, we were made to pass kits you know. Secondly."

At that her mom simply squeezed the lupine dildo she held, and the knot of the thing swelled before she continued "That's about as much as any wolf's knot will engorge. Is it bigger than any tod's? Definitely, but it's still doable. Now as far as it hurting? Yes sex can hurt, especially with a male this size, but it's also true with smaller males too, and that's a risk we all take. There are a few things though that can be done to ameliorate that risk, and I get the feeling David enjoys that sort of foreplay."

"Alright, can I change the subject now?" She asked her mom plaintively.

"Sure what is on your mind?" Her mom asked with a slight grin.

"You're right about Kiera pushing him, but today she hit the wall. He said something though, well he said a lot of things, and i can't stop thinking about it." She told her mom.

"What did he say?" Her mom asked now curious.

"He's learned not to expect understanding even from the people he trusts." She answered with a frown of concern.

"Wait, say that again." He mom asked as if unsure she'd heard right.

"He put it differently, but essentially it was that he's learned to expect no one to understand, not even who he trusts." She obliged her mom adding "I can't think of what that must be like, and it just makes me sad that he feels the same way about us."

"No one to understand, what?" Her mom asked.

"I don't know since he didn't want to get into it; he told us that he can't love romantically anymore, there was someone he loved when he was a human who loved him, but didn't claim him, and he asked me if I could imagine an empath turning themselves into an apath." She answered her mom before shaking her head in her confusion adding "I wish I could just ask the Mother why she sent him to us, and how we're supposed to help when he's so hurt inside."

"Okay, hold on to those thoughts. Now I have more questions than answers, and he needs to be part of the conversation." Her mom told her.

At that they both sort of leaned back, getting comfortable.

"Ooh, hey a toy." David commented at what her mom still held as he passed behind her into the kitchen which was followed by the sounds of him getting a glass from the cupboard, and filling it with water from the tap.

She was extremely grateful her back had been to him, because with her focus on her conversation with her mom she hadn't even heard him run the fur dryer. Not only had he startled her his casual remark set her ears aflame in embarrassment.

"I have a question for you David." Her mother said to him.

"Shoot." David responded as he came into the living room such that she could see him in her peripheral which caused her to turn her head slightly so he was fully in her field of vision, and with half empty glass of water in paw he was clad only in his pants with it clear from how they hung that he was sans underwear; given what they'd been talking about it sent odd tingles in weird places.

"If Evie, or I got naked right now, lifted our tails, and said 'fuck me' would you just get behind us, and knot us?" Her mom fired bluntly.

At first his muzzle showed his confusion as he processed her question, but then it fell in a grimace as his ears folded back, and he told her "If you're asking if I'd fuck either of you, or any female for that matter dry then fucking hell no. Sex is supposed to be pleasurable for both parties. I have seen on the net things, and heard . . . I cannot understand how to any male such sounds of pain could ever be music to the ears. The idea of causing a female harm like that is so anathema to me I have no words."

He then shook his head strongly saying "Especially with females like you who are so much smaller than me. It is moans of pleasure that are music to my ears, and those are the only sounds I'd ever want to get out of either of you, or Kiera, or anyone else. For the record it's being the cause of such music that really gets me off, I could care less if I put it in; don't need to use it to make those sounds come out of a female."

"I told you so." Her mom said to her which caused her ears to fold back as she blushed before her mom asked David "If we did just lift our tails, and say 'fuck me', what would you do?"

"Is it just sex you want in this hypothetical?" He asked in response warily.

"Yes." Her mom answered him unhesitatingly, and she felt her ears get hotter as her gut clenched.

"That being the case." He said, pausing to lick his muzzle deviously clearly showing off its length, before he finished his statement "I'd start by showing you just how bad my oral fixation is, and if you're up for more than that then you'll get it."

"To be clear though." He added seriously "Like I said to Kiera earlier I have had friendships fall apart after they got intimate with male, and female alike. I'm not about to fuck either three of you if it'll jeopardize what you have with each other, or what I have with you three."

At that point though there was a knock at the door which as David answered it was the pizza guy. Smelling the fresh pies she couldn't help turning towards them, and she noted how David had bristled, probably startled by the knock. It was like a mohawk down his spine, and she couldn't help in the back of her mind thinking about how even from this angle he was sexy. He was bigger, and stronger, and wasn't afraid to use it, but he had a gentleness that was predominant.

"Whoa, what happened to Lorie and Evie?" Scott who was their usual delivery mammal asked clearly surprised by another wolf answering their door.

"They're behind me." David answered his voice deepening in a clear message even she got which didn't do her itching libido any favors before he asked Scott "So what's the damage, buddy?"

"Oh, uh. Three large teriyaki chicken and mushroom pizzas comes to thirty three even." Scott answered.

At that David pulled out his wallet, and getting out a couple bills passed them to Scott saying friendlily with his tail wagging "Here's forty, keep the change, and have a good night. Alright, brother."

"Sure, here you go." Scott responded as he passed over the pizzas in their boxes adding once they were off his paws "You too, brother."

"Bye Scott!" Her mom shouted right before David turned, and shut the door behind him.

"So you know him? He the usual delivery boy, or what?" He asked them as he walked the pizzas into the kitchen.

"You better bring one of those back with you." She couldn't help telling him as he walked in what was to her the wrong direction.

"Yeah, that's how we know him, and I'm pretty sure he's gay." Her mom answered his question adding "If he's not though, I'm pretty sure he got the message, I sure did and I'm all the way over here."

"The knock startled me alright." He explained as he came back carrying one of the pizzas adding as he walked in front of them "I know he got the message, why do you think I was nice to him."

"We could tell mister ridgeback." Her mom teased him before saying "I had the money already ready, remind me and I'll give it to you."

"Don't worry about it Lorelei." He responded as he sat on the floor setting the pizza box on the sofa between them.

"I'm not worried about it, so just shut up, and take it." Her mom told him idly gesturing with the dildo in her left paw.

At that to her surprise, and her mother's, David lunged forward grabbing the dildo in his jaws and on all fours walked away with it. In front of the TV he stopped, and sat then layed down getting the base of it between his paws so he could lick it from knot to tip which he leisurely did.

"Are you serious?" Her mom asked him exasperatedly before she laughed mirthfully at him.

He just grinned at them then started licking it again using long slow strokes. It reminded her of watching him do what he was doing to himself, and again there was a tingle between her legs.

"Will you stop that, and come eat?" She asked him as she couldn't help shifting her hips unable to look away.

"No, let him go at it. I kinda like this sort of show to go with dinner." Her mom said to her as she leaned over opening the pizza, and grabbing a slice.

It was her turn to laugh when he stopped mid lick his eyes glued to her mom as she took a healthy bite of her cheesy slice. He then seemed to remember himself, and going back to what he was doing he got his mouth around the faux phallus and began bobbing his head along it his tongue clearly curled around it keeping his fangs from coming into contact.

As he got going she found herself too distracted to even go for her first slice while her mom she noted in her peripheral seemed just as stuck having barely taken a second bite. All of a sudden it seemed, he stopped, and again picking it up sideways in his mouth he got up then walked over to her mom depositing the dildo in her lap saying "You can have your toy back, I'd have kept going, but it's just not as fun without the payoff."

"Where did you learn to do that?" Her mom asked admiringly.

"What do you mean where?" He asked back adding "Evie didn't show you the video? She showed Kiera."

"What video?" Her mom inquired.

"It wouldn't have been fair if I kept it to myself from her, but why do you think I'd show my mom?" She said to him protestingly.

"Evie didn't know what autofellatio is so I demonstrated. Needed to learn how to do that with this muzzle shape anyway. Fun fact only in being sapient in this form is it possible to suck on a straw, or a dick; it certainly is something humans have an easier time of." He answered her mom adding to her "I just figured you would have."

"They're called boundaries." She told him looking at him as if he were nuts.

"I know they are." He responded with a nod, and arched eyebrow.

"I can't say I'm surprised by you at least." Her mom told him before turning to her saying "You on the other paw, I didn't expect you'd be into voyeurism."

"I am not a voyeur." She insisted honestly.

"But you didn't just watch him, you recorded him." Her mom countered.

"I don't think she's a voyeur. She doesn't strike me as a peeper. I'm the one who gave her the show." David said to her mom as he went for his own slice of pizza adding "I'm like that you know, if someone is watching me generally speaking I'll give 'em something to look at. So what if I make a fool of myself if I can make someone laugh, even if it's only me, within reason of course."

"So you demonstrated." Her mom noted gesturing with a paw towards where he'd been in front of the tv.

The huge happy almost goofy grin he gave in response proving quite proud of himself was too much for her to resist reaching towards him with her right paw, and rubbing the top of his head at which he lifted his head into her paw his tail wagging happily behind him.

"You know it never ceases to amaze me how you respond to platonic attention like that. I would almost swear you were starved for attention as a cub." Her mom commented as she was withdrawing her paw so she could finally get her own slice of pizza.

"As a boy, and I wasn't. What your seeing is a response to a lack of this sort of interaction as an adolescent, and adult." He told her adding "My childhood wasn't lacking in that sort of regard, I knew I was loved."

"Was your... " Her mom paused as she struggled with the word before she finished her question "Childhood… lacking in any way?"

"No one cares what you think, or how you feel, and if they do they will never understand." He bitterly said reflexively adding with growing vehemence "Nothing that is important to you will ever mean shit to anyone that matters, and they will never care, but you are the one that's supposed to care about what's important to them. You are the one that is always wrong, and no matter the situation being blameless, or having blame on multiple sides the fault is always yours. You can't get a job, so I resent you, and even though I told you where I call home you would always have one, you can go find somewhere else to live . . . which for you jobless fuck is the street. I had a job when I was sixteen, decades ago when circumstances were different, what the fuck is your problem you lazy worthless good for nothing . . . "

"David. Stop!" She couldn't help crying out at him.

"Sorry." He responded as he snapped out of it.

"It's okay, David." Her mom said to him putting her half eaten slice of pizza down on the box as she reached, and put her left paw on his shoulder asking him "Who told you such horrible things?"

"No one told me, that's just what I learned from how my mother was." He answered before correcting himself "Well, she did tell me she resented me for being unable to find work, and despite always telling me I'd always have a home with her she did kick me out, and I had to live with a friend until that fell apart, and if she hadn't let me back in I'd have been on the streets. Things changed after that, I found a job later, but it didn't last, and well me being jobless later proved fortuitous when she had surgery, and needed in home care, but it remained a bone of contention. I was like a dog who saw the way out was closed, and as the floor under me was shocked again, and again I just laid down in defeat whining at the pain waiting for the end."

He then shook his head defiantly before saying with his voice breaking as he cried "I don't remember whether things got better or worse. All I know is that I got a way out in winding up here, probably by dying, and I'm not going to let it go, or waste it if I can help it."

"I don't understand. She'd just kick you out like that just because you couldn't find a job?" She said to him truly unable to fathom how someone could do that.

"Maybe that came out wrong. It was more I wasn't looking for work because I had no faith in getting hired no matter how hard I tried. The socio-economic landscape for a male of my particular race, and gender wasn't exactly good since cultural communism had been on the rise for decades, and was finally sprouting. I didn't do well in school since it was set up so homework equaled grades, and grades equaled whether or not you graduated, and I was smart enough to not only not need homework to learn anything, not that it is actually an effective teaching tool, I was smart enough to know the whole system was bullshit; add on to that how statistically girls are better at shit like homework, and it's a clusterfuck. Never had the grades to try getting a driving permit, or part time job at sixteen, and when I turned eighteen that was the year of the second great depression though no one ever called it that the sheisty fucks. The deck was stacked against me, and countless others in fucking layers, and they call it a generation gap for a reason - the lucky fucks to turn of age in the eighties have... had... no fucking clue." He explained regaining control of his emotions adding "For all her faults my mom was worlds better to me, than her own mother was to her; I never had to suffer that sort of physical, and emotional abuse until later, at the hands of someone I had called brother, but they too were a victim of an abusive, and heavy drug using family."

"Alright, that's enough." Her mom told him adding "I don't want to hear you start defending your abusers."

"It may be my place to smile as I bleed, but like hell would I fucking do that." He told her in response with a scowl.

"Stop saying that. It's not your place. It's not anyone's." She couldn't help telling him defiantly and almost demandingly.

"One thing at a time." Her mom told her before adding as she picked up her half eaten and now cold first piece of pizza "I'm calling a break, so we can eat."

"You know we can talk, and eat at the same time." David said, but her mom just leveled a look at him at which he smiled back at her in response, but nonetheless stopped talking.

In the time she managed to get through two slices, and her mom had as well, he had polished off the other half of the pizza.

"That was really good, though did you mean to order so many? Wouldn't we have been okay with just two?" David asked her mom adding "Now we really have leftovers, not that I'm complaining."

"I'm used to seeing how you eat. So, I overcompensated a little." Her mom responded before telling him "Evie was telling me you said something earlier, which stuck with her, and you said it again when I asked about your… childhood… damn that is a funky word, anyway, you said that no one understands."

"They don't, and they can be trusted not to." He told her mom flatly before he turned to her saying "You want to know Evie, don't you, what I meant when I said what would drive an empath to turn themselves into an apath? The way in which I am wounded that I know you will not understand."

"Is it not fair of me to prejudge you like that, in that regard? Possibly." He continued rhetorically before saying "In as simple words as I can put it, the way I am wounded, and the reason I can no longer romantically love anyone is because I am heartless."

"Bullshit." Her mom told him reflexively before adding "As kind, and considerate as you are, even with your rough edges. You are not heartless."

"Don't you fucking dare you pathetic mortal." David snapped at her mom venomously with a glare "This is what I fucking meant that you won't fucking understand. I am not soulless, and you can't tell the difference."

"I'm sorry, Lorelei." He apologized with his next breath, his expression falling "I didn't mean to snap at you, that sort of thing is a really sore spot for me. I . . . was a very empathic youth, who felt too strongly, too easily, for girls who would never have given me a second glance. To stop myself from hurting I metaphysically cut out that emotional center we call a heart, and thought in success I gained strength; which I did of a sort, but it was the wrong thing to do which I know now. I thought I had succeeded in cutting out the whole thing, but I was wrong as it turned out, and the one who proved that I was wrong in that regard well she won what was left of my heart, but never claimed it even though she said she loved me. Time passed, we grew apart, and when she married another I felt nothing. The emotions you see me express, and feel they all come from my hara, not my kokoro; it is gone."

"I . . . can see how lacking full trust in anyone is an ingrained response for you; I didn't prove you wrong, did I?" Her mom said to him still clearly taken aback by the way his anger had flared, let alone been directed at her before she apologized "I'm sorry too, David. I should've asked you what you meant, and to explain, instead of assumed based on how I see you."

"I can't blame you Lorelei, and I'm not really mad. There's no reason for most mundanes in the course of their life to ever increase their awareness of metaphysical reality around us. Han called the Force a hokey religion for a reason, when the Force is no religion; it is simply the Force." He said to her conciliatorily adding in half-hearted jest "Just my luck that as a force sensitive I'm a natural Dark Side adept."

"You are right, I don't understand. What do you mean you cut it out? That can even be done? How?" She asked him seriously.

"You know chi flows in, out, and all around us? Martial artists channel chi in the ways they do, and that is a practical application. Others, you would call witches, and wizards use chi a little differently, and call it magick. The foundation of both is essentially Chi with Willpower plus Intent focused through Visualization can achieve certain outcomes. Harry Potter is still fiction sorry, and the truth is so much stranger, not sorry." He explained in answer before he began using his paws to demonstrate "It was simple at the time, since I was well fed, to focus enough chi in my paw… hand, see I'm getting the hang of being a wolf… and shaping it into the form of a blade, then use that blade to make the incision in my subtle body, and with the other hand pull out the offending emotional center, or at least the half I managed to."

"Was it really that easy for you?" She couldn't help asking him horrified by how casually he had pantomimed the actions as he spoke of them; if there had been an actual knife in his right paw he'd have killed himself, but the way his left paw squeezed as if to crush what it held when he was done was what got to her the most.

"I was tired of feeling the pain, which I recognize now was my own fault to begin with, I knew what I wanted to achieve, and I knew how to do it. I might have done it a bit more methodically than I just showed you, but I did not hesitate." He answered her plainly.

"What do you mean it was your fault?" Her mom asked him seeking clarification.

"I felt too much. That burden is on me. Now I feel too little, and the burden is still on me." He answered her matter of factly.

"How can you just say that, you felt too much, like it's a problem?" She asked him with a frown.

"Because it is a problem. What's the point of feeling a damn thing for anyone who feels nothing for you? My solution was the wrong one, but it's too late now." He answered her.

"I don't know what's worse, David." Her mom said to him "The thought of your resolve to end your hurt by hurting yourself in a way I am struggling to comprehend, or the thought of how you gained that resolve, and there was no one to talk you out of it."

"Heh, I told you didn't I? No one cares about what you think, or feel, and even if they do they will never understand, or really listen. That is simply the way of mortals." He replied with a laugh adding "The glory of dogmatic religions, they blind people, and so no there was never anyone I could've actually talked to about any of this, or told me what I'd tell my past self if I could which would be you are just here to suffer, but bear through it - the pain is better than nothing at all; nothing is its own hell. I am alone with the weight of everything I am, and that will never change."

"I don't want to believe you; it can't be too late for you." She insisted to him.

"Well, I've been wrong again, and again Evie about everything so maybe it's not, but I very much doubt it." He told her with a sigh "I have no heart left to give anyone, and my soul . . . it isn't on the table either."

"You keep saying mortals." Her mom pointed out "You're mortal too."

"This body is mortal, same as yours. It dies, and your soul will move on, as will mine to the same place. Just because the vessel is a certain way doesn't mean the soul inside it is the same; the term for others like me in this regard is otherkin. True enough I am assuming your soul matches with it's vessel, but that is generally the case; rule one is know thyself for a reason." He explained to her adding "Really, the only difference between you, and a human is the form of your vessel."

"Otherkin . . ." She repeated as his explanation reminded her of what he'd said earlier about speaking with his own voice, and she couldn't help asking him "So you really aren't a Voice of the Father - you're an angel aren't you?"

"Daemon actually, and in the original Greek sense of the word; I am not malevolent." He corrected her adding "If you must know the Goddess whom I serve is Inanna."

"But the Mother said you were one of her's." Her mom said to him confusedly.

"And so I am. I love her you know." He responded, and as the words were out of his muzzle it suddenly made sense why he'd cried just hearing her mentioned before his human memories started coming back.

"I'm not going to lie to you David, it was hard enough wrapping my mind around you having memories of being a different species on a different world, but nothing in how you speak, or act has given me reason do doubt you on that. What you've just shared with us is no less difficult to grok, but if anything it makes more sense to me." Her mom said to him.

"Thank you Lorelei. That really means a lot. I've never shared all of this like this with anyone. You two are really the first to ever get any of it out of me, let alone all of it." He responded, and she saw it there in his eyes just how much not being able to trust the truth of himself with anyone had effected him.

It was too much for her, and she didn't resist her desire to embrace him, nearly knocking him on his back as she moved from the sofa onto his lap.

"What did I do to deserve a hug?" He asked her as she felt his strong arms warmly wrap around her.

"You didn't do anything." She told him as she buried her muzzle in his chest fur to hide how she was crying.

"You too Lorelei?" He asked as he moved his right arm then she could feel her mom next to her who had her arms around his neck.

"Maybe I can't really understand, but that doesn't mean I won't try, and you can at least trust me to listen no matter what." Her mom told him.

"Me too." She added nuzzling into his chest.

At that he just squeezed them tighter, but not uncomfortably so, and told them softly his voice full of emotion "Thank you . . ."

They were like that for a long while, but she didn't really care; all she knew was she wasn't going to let him go without good reason.

"Ah. Hey. Lorelei, hahaha . . . stop it." He said to her mom with a laugh she nearly mistook for a gekker "That tickles . . . ngh… ah."

"What are you doing to him?" She asked her mom, opening her eyes, and looking up though all she really saw was fur.

"Hurry, Evie get his other ear." Her mom answered her making little sense.

"No . . . ngh . . . stop it . . ." He protested with a whine before she felt him jerk, and heard him shake his head causing his ears to flap.

Leaning back from him as his arm went slack, and finally getting a look at her mother's antics it was hard for to not burst out laughing. With her arms still around his neck he didn't really have any escape from her mom who she could see had been licking his right ear. What killed her laughter though was seeing her mom then bite his right ear, and the look on his muzzle as he lifted his head to the ceiling; it was the same one Kiera had gotten out of him, and it sent a twinge of both arousal and jealousy through her gut.

Thinking to herself that two could play the game she stood up, and moved around him so she could both get a good grip on his scruff, and his left ear which she gripped with her fangs as gently as she could.

The effect was instantaneous, and totally caught her off guard as he fell backwards leaving her no choice, but to follow him down.

"Wow. What did you do Evie?" Her mom asked her appraisingly.

"Learned from you, and Kiera." He answered in a growl before growling out in frustration flat on his back.

"So what did Kiera do?" Her mom asked tenaciously.

Letting go of his ear she looked up, and got a good view of not only her mom's tail bushed out in the air on the other side of him, but the bulge in his pants.

His response was another frustrated growl that seemed to bellow out of him.

"She got a pawful of his scruff, and pulled; he made the same expression when you were biting his ear." She explained to her mom which caused him to turn his head towards her growling irritatedly.

"I told you Evie. We exploit chinks in his armor, and he'll do whatever we want." Her mom said to her with a smug grin before looking down at him, and saying "I didn't expect those would be the sorts of chinks you'd have. So just what sort of expression was he making?"

"Lorelei." He husked out warningly as he slid backwards, and propped himself up on his elbows keeping his eyes on her mom.

"It was hard to tell if he wanted to bite something, or if he was in pain" She told her mom doing her best to put it into words, and as it came out of her muzzle she realized how accurate they were.

"Oh really?" Her mom asked her tail swaying behind her, and she immediately regretted having answered her mom.

"Were you in pain?" She asked him worriedly feeling torn.

"Not pain." He rasped in response before clearing his throat, and adding "It is hard to resist the urge to bite when you do things like that."

"Ooh, so you're a biter?" Her mom asked with almost disturbing enthusiasm her tail wagging happily.

Again he only responded to her mom with a warning growl that was nearly a snarl as he bared his fangs at her clearly meaning 'Back off.'

She couldn't help how his reaction startled her, but it didn't scare her. Her mom likewise didn't seem scared at all as she in response moved forward and leaning into him licked his fangs before pulling back then telling him "Alright, I'll stop teasing you."

He just looked at her mom as if she were crazy before saying warily "Thank you."

"How do you do that?" Her mom asked him curiously as she took a step back from him.

"Do what?" He asked her tiredly.

"Back down so fast when you get going?" Her mom responded, and she couldn't help cocking her head much as he did as she parsed it.

"If you mean what I think you do. Infinite willpower, and unlimited self restraint." He told her simply before adding "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but you're not wrong; push me far enough, and I'll do whatever you want, and then some; I go zero to a hundred real quick."

"No you shouldn't have told me that." Her mom responded with a grin as she stood up, and walked around them close enough to drag her tail along his back, and part of her arm, heading towards the kitchen.

Pausing just before she crossed onto the linoleum with her tail swaying behind her, her mom turned towards her saying "Think about what I asked you earlier."

Her mom then disappeared into the kitchen, and she looked back up at him in time to catch him likewise turn his gaze from her mother's tail.

"You know the same goes for you Evie." He said to her before lowering his head as he admitted "I just need you three to understand my limits."

He then asked her "What did your mom ask you earlier?"

"Nothing." She responded reflexively her ears folding back to hide her blush at the thought of doing more to him than what she had so far, and him doing more in return.

He just looked at her inquisitively with a raised eyebrow, and she couldn't help averting her gaze downward.

"I asked her if she was okay with the options we have at paw, with you." Her mom answered as she walked back into the living room the sound of the fridge shutting behind her.

"Oh." He responded before saying "That's actually a good question. What do you think of your options Lorelei? You can take your time Evie, and I'm pretty sure all three of us can figure what Kiera would say. Things will go better if we talk about it; no subject is taboo with me - shame is meaningless."

"We know Mr.I'm-covered-in-fur." Her mom snarked jokingly as she headed for the sofa carrying a bowl full of custard topped with a mix of blue, black, and strawberries before answering him "We could do things one on one, or the three of us could overwhelm you; I'm game for whichever way the dice land."

As her mom hopped onto the sofa, and sat she asked him in return "What do you think of your options with us?"

"I'm about two steps from asking Evie to ignore me carrying you to your room, and whether, or not she wants me to come back to her when I'm done with you." He answered her bluntly.

"Just your tongue, or your knot too?" Her mom asked hopefully as she offered them spoons.

"You'd have sex with my mom first?" She asked him, unable to not be a little accusatory, as she took a spoon from her mom, and moved so she could get a spoonful of berries.

"We don't have to go all the way right off the bat, and I would Evie because you're a virgin, and she's not; I don't want to hurt you, I will repeat that to my next grave." He said to them before he took his own spoon, and went for the custard half muttering to himself "Gotta love the white stuff."

"Off the bat?" Her mom asked him with puzzlement before laughing as she said "You just had to go there didn't you."

"As in baseball bat. It's a figure of speech meaning from the get-go." He explained before grinning, and adding "Given half a chance I'd be a cum guzzling whore."

"So when you told Kiera she's not number one no matter how she tries?" She asked him.

"She's number three, you're number two, and your mom is number one; I just told you why." He answered her honestly, and she was willing to concede he had a point though it got her thinking about watching him knot her mom - it was an idea that wasn't un-entertainable.

"Would you show me? You already gave Evie the show." Her mom asked him with pointed curiosity.

She couldn't help looking at him curiously herself as her mom's question seemed to catch him off guard, and he was silent as he went for a scoop of berries.

He made a short display of slowly chewing, and enjoying the mouthful of fruit before he gave her mom a look he then turned on her saying "If Evie wants a show then sure I'll give you a show, after dessert."

At that it was her turn to slowly get another scoop of berries, and custard as she thought about it, her gaze drifting to his crotch.

"We don't have to go all the way right away?" She asked him looking up at his muzzle.

"Nope, we don't." He answered with her assuringly.

"But we can?" Her mom asked.

"That's up to you." He told her.

"What if I want you first, and to watch you knot her after?" She asked throwing caution to the wind despite the way her gut still clenched in nervousness.

"Okay." He replied with a nod.

"Yeah, we can do that." Her mom agreed.

"Alright, then in a minute I'm gonna go take my shower." She told them getting another scoop of berries while wondering if she'd wound up in a different world having never expected to be in the situation she found herself in the particular way she was.

While David just nodded her mom simply said "'kay."

They fell into a companionable silence as they enjoyed their dessert. David was the one who stopped first having put a dent in both the berries, and the custard.

"Take this from me." He said to her mom holding out his spoon adding "I need to stop now before my drive to make things disappear activates."

"You really like custard don't you?" Her mom asked him with a grin, almost implying the possible innuendo.

"I love a good eggy custard, and it's amazing frozen even plain vanilla." He responded avidly adding "Frozen custard is even better than gelato; it's all about fat content mm-hmm."

"Remind me to be careful introducing you to my brother." Her mom said to him jokingly with a light laugh.

"You think he wouldn't get along with Uncle Johnny?" She asked her mom quizzically.

"No, quite the opposite Evie." Her mom told her amusedly.

"Right, 'cause he's gay?" He asked her mom before telling her "You know just 'cause you put two gay males, or bi for that matter, in a room doesn't mean they'll fuck; it's a possibility, but not a probability."

"Uh-huh; I know the statistics, homosexual mammals tend to be more promiscuous than heterosexual ones." Her mom responded adding "I could put money on you hitting it off with him over just your love of custard, and you'd get in his pants."

"You might be right about that, but each situation varies." He replied.

After taking one last bite of berries she stood, and asked her mom "You want me to take that into the kitchen since I'm up?"

"I've got it." Her mom told her.

"Alright." She said then turned, and headed for the bathroom.

* * *

"She's nervous. You're going to go easy on her, right?" Lorelei said to him once Evie had shut the bathroom door.

"I'm kinda nervous too." He admitted before telling her "Of course I am. You on the other paw, though . . ."

"Good." She told him as she got off of the sofa, and headed to put what was left of their dessert away.

As she moved passed him the tip of her tail brushed his nose, and reflexively he lashed out with his tongue. Watching her walk away her hips sashaying he couldn't help baring his fangs at her, and growling because she knew full well what she did.

"I'm going to tell you now you devious vixen." He said to her as he walked on all fours after her so he could see her as he spoke to her "Where I am having fun getting used to stronger senses; these instincts are a thing to get used to. I am more ruled by them than you can think, and I am still finding the proper balance."

She just shut the fridge then walked towards him causing him to look up slightly, and leaning into his ear she asked seductively "You really like the taste of vixen don't you?"

"How badly do you want me to bite you?" He asked in response.

"So you are a biter?" She replied pulling back to look at him.

"Answer the question Lorelei." He told her seriously.

"Well, I do want you to bite me, but I don't know how badly." She admitted to him flirtatiously her tail wagging behind her rhythmically.

"I hope you're prepared to use your fangs then." He replied with a grin before turning, and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Lorelei asked him, and he could hear her following after him.

"I am going to wait for Evie." He told her as he started heading down the hall to her room, and as he did so the smell of water, and shampoo really hit his nose.

As he reached the doorway he used the jamb to balance as he stood on his hindpaws so that he could more easily get out of his pants simply unbuttoning them then letting them fall.

"You're right, we might as well." She said to him as he kicked his pants out of the way then headed for Evalyn's bed.

"We?" He asked her curiously getting on the bed on all fours, and turning around to face her then sitting on his haunches.

"Yeah, that toy is going back on the shelf." She said to him clearly not looking at his muzzle before without shifting her gaze she answered him "She wants to watch me, and believe my I get why, then I'm going to watch her, and you."

"Will you record us?" He asked her feeling it was a pertinent question.

"Do you think I should?" She inquired in response as she began disrobing.

"So long as you stay over there, I don't care what you do." He answered more on reflex at what watching her take off her pants was doing to him before he added "Why not? We could watch it together later."

* * *

' _Ugh, why am I so nervous?!_ ' She thought as she did her best to will herself to relax under the hot water as it rinsed her fur clean.

The water was helping, but then she'd think about him being out there ready for her which would get her nervous all over again, and she'd have to start over.

"It's not like he's going to just put it in." She said to herself both as a reassurance, and for encouragement.

' _But it will be there, and we will get to touch it._ ' The voice in the back of her posited, and where her gut had tightened in nervousness, it was now tightening with excitement.

Another voice seemed to add that ' _We got to him more than Kiera, and mom did_ ', and that thought boosting her confidence was the final push she needed.

After she turned off the water, and shook herself to get rid of at least some of the water, she stepped over to the fur dryer, and pressing the button on the wall got the vent pad going. Once she was dry she opened the bathroom door, and stepping into the hall she only had to take a breath to smell that David, and her mom both weren't in the living room. Their scent was stronger, and the trail of it seemed to be emanating from her room. Opening her mouth slightly to exhale through, she took a deeper whiff, and noted that their scents hadn't changed, or gotten stronger in any telltale way.

Walking into her room from the light of the hall it took her eyes a second to adjust, but it was hard to miss the large white furred wolf on her bed. David had been lying on his stomach with his head over his forepaws, but as soon as he saw her he sat up alertly his focus on her, and clearly giving her line of sight on his malehood. Her mom on the other paw, she saw as she looked for her, was sitting no less provocatively in her desk chair across the room from him clearly eying him.

"Ignore her. I am." He told her before patting her bed, and saying "Come here."

Just hearing his voice, and turning back to _him_ , what confidence she'd managed to find seemed to vanish, but nervousness didn't return to take it's place. When she reached her bed he patted the mattress again encouragingly, and she was half-tempted to tell him she wasn't a kit.

"Closer." He said to her reassuringly as she got on the mattress, resting on her knees in front of him.

As she obliged him she did her best to keep her breathing even since her heart had decided now was the time to run a race.

"Beautiful Evie, do you trust me?" He asked her cupping the entire left side of her head with his right paw.

"Yes." She answered him looking up into his transfixing blue, and amber eyes as she leaned into the warmth of his paw.

"You set the pace." He told her then the next thing she knew he'd leaned forward, and kissed her lightly pressing his lips to her's.

Such a simple thing, the brief touch of their lips, but it was as if some sort of charge had passed from him into her through the connection straight between her legs. As he was pulling back, she almost reflexively went after him kissing him back. His response was to wrap his arms around her, and pull her almost into his lap at which she couldn't help the happy whine that escaped her.

As she ran one paw through the fur of his neck, and the other down his chest his tongue lightly brushed her lips before retreating back into his muzzle. In response she licked him back her tail wagging with it's own mind as one of his paws lowered to encompass her rear. The fact that he was nearly touching her sex since his paws were so big, yet wasn't, and wasn't trying to either just seemed to excite her further.

When his tongue came out again she met it with hers only to find herself melting into him when he caught her tongue gently causing it to graze past his teeth as it retreated back into her muzzle. While the more primal parts of her mind were getting on board with the program, she found her new position lower in his lap to her advantage as she reached her left paw for his sheathed member.

Wrapping her paw around it she couldn't help grinning as the prospect of it getting bigger because of her stroked her ego and her more primal instincts. As she began slowly stroking him he opened his muzzle, and got his fangs behind her molars at which she respondingly opened her own muzzle perfectly willing to further make out with him.

Her tongue lashing against his, time was something she forgot, and before she realized it her paw was full of his hard, and hot member. She had barely begun to pull away from him, and he'd released her completely panting lightly as she continued to stroke him.

"On your back." She told him gently pushing against his wall of a chest with her right paw as she somewhat reluctantly let go of his cock.

The way he obeyed her made her feel powerful, and caused her to almost ache in want. As she slid over him this time to shove her tongue in his muzzle the length of his erection dragging along her sex only worsened that ache, she could practically feel the way her own scent was pouring out of her. The ache she took out on him with the force with which she pressed her muzzle against him. That he offered no resistance against her sent a thrill through her, and as she pulled away to look at him she drug her fangs along his tongue, getting him back.

Looking down at him she saw again the same bared fangs look he'd gotten earlier only turned to thirteen, and directed solely at her; for a moment she felt frozen, but not out of fear. Her tail wagging behind her exercising its independence reminded her of the presence of his member, and as her more primal inclinations decided what to do with the information she remembered Kiera's asking him if his fangs ached, his answer yes, and what he'd said earlier about resisting the urge to bite.

For a second she was torn over what she wanted to do to him, and what she wanted him to do to her, but when it was over the decision was easy. Lowering her chest to his she turned her head to the side as she leaned forward almost putting her neck against his fangs.

This close to him she could smell his tension, and it made her want to growl at him so she did telling him "Do it."

When his response was to begin licking her neck particularly wetly she growled at him again having meant business the first time. She didn't stop growling at him until he, to her suddenly, stopped licking her, and bit along the wet spot he'd made. If his goal had been to scare her by showing her just how much of her he could fit in his mouth, he failed miserably as the amount of pressure he used was everything but painful.

When he began using only his four fangs to give her short nips all along the side of her neck he revealed his real goal had been to drive her insane in such a way that she could only let it happen, and in that he succeeded in spades. Between the way he kept her from further leaning forward with his paws on her shoulders, and the sensations he was sending through her in a way she'd have never anticipated she could only growl in frustration, wanting more, as she dug her claws into his chest.

He seemed to misinterpret her frustration, and let her go lowering his head back onto the mattress though he kept his gaze on her, probing her with his eyes she could swear she could see the light from the doorway reflecting with a golden glow in the amber of his inner-iris while the blue-grey outer iris could've passed for black in the dim of her room.

Partly because she remembered what she'd wanted to do, and partly to escape those eyes she turned around on him draping her tail over his muzzle as she changed her view to that of the erect mast between his legs.

The sudden feeling of his warm hot tongue barely touching her tailhole as he licked the entire underside of her tail nearly made her jump, and she turned back towards his head to gekker at him for it until he licked her tail again leaving her only capable of a lustful growl.

She then turned back to the desire at paw she meant to fulfill. Getting her nose mere inches from his throbbing member she had to close her eyes from how the scent of him consumed her olfactory senses. She couldn't help panting, but this close to him that only made her taste it, and that caused the ache in her sex his biting had magically dispelled to return with a vengeance.

Doing her best to breath through her nose instead of her mouth she used her tongue to bridge the distance between her muzzle, and his erect member which bobbed back towards her in response. The growl of pleasure that got out of him, with his muzzle so close to her rear, seemed to vibrate up her spine, and emboldened her to move into a better position.

From this angle it was almost like watching him, except this time it was her muzzle instead of his, and that did not help the ache between her legs. Neither did the way licking it more didn't seem to be enough; not for what she wanted. It helped that he'd essentially talked her through this as he figured it out for himself. Opening her mouth to let it in she let her tongue extend along it before curling the end of her tongue around it as a barrier between the sensitive muscle, and her fangs.

For a moment it was like the ache had gone away again, but then she fell into a rhythm bobbing along his length, and it returned acutely. That acuteness was stunningly short lived when after an arousingly lustful growl behind her there was a very large warm wet thing pressing against her sex. The feeling of it made her moan, and when it vanished she nearly cried out, but it was back again for longer, and with more strength.

Between a few neurons in her mind the thought occurred that he was licking her, and the thing pressing against her sex was his tongue. That thought though got drowned out by her desire to further expose herself to the thing that was back there, a duty her tail performed admirably, only for that desire to get superseded by the fact that he'd lifted her back end as he'd curled forward to reach her with his muzzle.

The advantage of him holding her rear higher than her head, she not only had a better angle on his hard cock, wrapping her right paw around his knot as she gently rubbed his testicles with her left she got comfortable since he was supporting most of her weight.

As part of her began wondering just how long it'd take until he came the repetitiveness of the licks he was giving her, and the way he kept using the tip of his tongue to tease her entrance started building up a new sort of tension in her sex. One that made her want the thing teasing her sex to pick up the pace.

She had been about to growl at him in an attempt to get the message across when what she got was him growling in frustration, at which she reflexively whimpered, and then he bottom fangs were along her stomach, his upper fangs were over her lower back, and his tongue was completely inside of her.

Then it was moving inside of her, writhing like some living thing, and she screamed as her first orgasm wracked her though it was muffled by his member filling her mouth. For several long moments she forgot everything except the way her insides were clenching around the hot _thing_ inside her. There was a brief moment in her mind where her more primal side was completely serene, but then the thing inside her was retreating only to shove itself back in just before it cleared her entrance. As the tension in between her legs began building again she could only pant, powerless to resist even if the desire had been present which it wasn't, but in panting she was reminded of what she'd been doing.

With renewed passion she resumed bobbing her head along his length while slightly rubbing as she squeezed his knot. Her second climax had almost built to fruition when she began feeling the way his member throbbed, and just as she was bringing her muzzle down her nose mere inches from his testicles he came much to her satisfaction. The amount he came though was more than she'd expected, and as her second climax rocked through her, she was unable to swallow all of it.

The next thing she knew she was on her side with her back to the wall adjacent her bed, and a sideways view of David getting off of her bed.

"You're next." He growled to her mom before he was on his feet moving towards her.

Panting lightly, and too relaxed to move, or care she watched as he picked her mom up out of her desk chair bridal style then carried her back to the bed still holding her phone. He set her mom on the mattress nearly next to her before he got on his knees next to the bed then pulled her mom crotch first into his muzzle.

Moving around for a better view she stayed comfortable on the side he'd laid her on, and wondered to herself if what she was seeing was how he had just looked with her. From her vantage point it looked like was putting the eat in the phrase eating pussy, and she wondered if that was how much of her he'd actually fit in his mouth.

* * *

He had figured that with sapient control of his tongue that as with performing fellatio, performing cunnilingus would simply come back to him. He hadn't been wrong, and in this position with his tongue even deeper in vixen he was like a fish returning to the water. Closing his eyes he savored the tang of her juices, that like Evie's he couldn't get enough of, and losing himself in the joy of what he was doing he wasn't aware of Lorelei's paws griping his ears until he felt her claws.

At that he couldn't help growling savagely wanting more, unable to pull her any closer, but trying anyway as he increased the pressure with which he gripped her with his fangs.

"Ahn . . . Gods Yes, fuck me with your tongue." Lorelei moaned out in pleasure before all he heard was her panting.

Another savage growl loosed from him in response completely self-satisfied, as he gave in to the ache in his fangs, drawing chi from her root chakra though slowly, and with care.

"So that's what that was?" Evalyn asked cheekily.

Her sudden comment was for some reason in that moment deeply amusing, and he had to stop what he'd been doing completely and pull away from Lorelei as he laughed though this caused Lorelei to let out a half-scream in response clearly not on board for his cessation of his actions.

After he'd gotten his amusement out he looked at Evalyn, and with a grin at how she had her mom's phone pointed his way, told her "Don't make me laugh. I'm trying to be serious."

"If you make him laugh, or stop again I will bite you." Lorelei said to her daughter meaning absolute business.

"Good luck getting away from me to do it." He told Lorelei in a growl his muzzle inches from her sex as he tightened his hold on her hips.

Lorelei's response was to growl at him with clear want as she lifted her sex the rest of the way to his muzzle. For a moment he just let his nose rest against her mound to tease, and frustrate her before he started over from the beginning slowly licking at her sex.

He could feel Lorelei struggle, and he heard the sound of her paws coming down on the mattress as she growled at him "Stop Fucking Around."

His vocal chords still stuck on making him sound like a ghoul, just for her he laughed a bit before more than willingly he dove back into her. It was a simple enough routine, extend his tongue out into her, wiggle the end a bit, then drag it back bringing her juices flowing back down his throat, and repeat. Once he'd gotten back into a rhythm he again as he gripped her with his fangs, pulled chi from her, but his focus was on heightening it before he pushed it back into her creating a sort of cycle.

As he lost himself in what he was doing he again loosed a self-satisfied growl, his mind reduced to only the most primal of thoughts. In that primal clarity he instinctually remembered the one downside to how he was splitting his focus; his focus on heightening her chi for when he fed on it lessened the focus he put on wielding his tongue, and his goal was to make her come not sate his hunger which while starting to present itself wasn't pressing.

His decision was simple, and with one final push of heightened chi back into her he narrowed his focus to solely stimulating her with his tongue. As he did so he finally felt his knot defate, and he grinned to himself that his cock was getting a five minute breather. He growled again encouragingly as her legs tightened around his head, and she clutched again at his ears with her claws.

"Ngh . . . Ah!" She moaned before telling him in what started as a growl, and ended in a whine "Don't Stop. Harder."

With a growl as he accepted the challenge he moved himself forward, and with his paws under her tail he lifted her then adjusting his bite double the force with which he was driving his tongue into her. The way she went completely slack in his paws as she moaned louder was the only encouragement he needed, and he easily kept up his new pace.

Where Evie's first orgasm had surprised him he anticipated Lorelei's, and he was prepared for the absolutely amazing way her inner muscles clenched around his tongue. He was not prepared for just how much she came however, and as her juices flooded past his tongue his cock decided break time was over.

When her muscles had relaxed enough to release his tongue he withdrew it slowly causing her left hindpaw to kick reflexively, and if he had pulled his head back as he was doing so he probably would've caught her kick with his muzzle. Giving her time to come down a bit he softly licked her sex, while his enjoyment of the simple feel of her against his tongue caused his sheath to further retract.

Before his knot could engorge again, and complicate things, at least more than it already did in his book, he stopped licking Lorelei and shifted his paws so they slid under her lower back. He then picked her up, and moved her so that she was parallel to the length of the mattress so they'd fit before climbing on after her.

Positioning himself over her, his tip only a couple inches from her sex, he brought his nose down to the underside of her throat, both for the scent of her there and so he could lick her which he did working his way up her muzzle. When her response after his first lick along her jaw was to grab his head, her claws sinking into the back of his neck, and attempt to swallow his tongue his cock throbbed, and he couldn't help moving forward bringing his lower head to bear.

"You had better put it in." She told him in no uncertain terms after she let his tongue go, only to then playfully nip at it as it lolled out of his mouth.

Slowly, and watching Lorelei's muzzle like a hawk he did just that finding his baculum quite useful. While she didn't complain, and her muzzle expression showed clear enjoyment of him sliding into her, he kept expecting that to shift in an instant. While her muscles seemed to relax offering him no resistance he was just a little bit grateful that the way she was tighter than he'd expected helped him keep his pace evenly measured.

"Come on, all the way." Lorelei encouraged him huskily.

He still hesitated when he felt his knot at her entrance, and she moved lower against him forcing his knot in with ease. His response was to lean down gripping one of her ears with his fangs as he withdrew his member before driving it back in, in a single fluid motion again stopping at his knot. Having felt it inside her once, and having read up on the mechanics of it, he was a little bummed he was only going to get a few long strokes like that in before it was either get stuck, or stop, and stopping was not going to happen.

By his third stroke inside her as he was just getting used to how tight she was he could feel his knot about to begin expanding. On his fourth stroke he went knot deep, and held it there, his length throbbing as his knot swelled.

Feeling her lock against him was on the border of intense pleasure, and exquisite agony at which he couldn't help the way he growled out in a near bellow. Growling again, and managing to get a grip on her neck with his fangs, he began slowly thrusting with his hips forcing his member deeper into her only to have retreat halted by her lock on him.

As irritating as he found the situation of being reduced to short strokes, he couldn't deny it was offset by the way her lock felt keeping him inside her. It was one thing to have memory of how canids mated, and to have read much more in depth literature as a wolf, but the actual act itself and the illustration that added to the texts was a completely other thing on another level.

It wasn't much longer until he came, and from the way she clenched around him he knew she had as well. As he panted feeling his testes completely empty through his spasming member he thought about improving their position since they were going to be stuck a while. What he settled on doing was getting his arms underneath her back, and holding her to his chest as he rolled onto his left side. That matter settled he raised his head looking for Evie who was setting her mom's phone on her nightstand. As she crawled back on her bed he held his free right paw out to her but, she had ideas of her own, and on all fours she got around the head of her bed so that she could curl herself on top of him using his ribs for her pillow. As she got comfortable her left paw which she stretched out rested over his right ear at which he couldn't help sighing contentedly. Drifting off to sleep under Evalyn's weight as he was growing accustomed to he was vaguely aware of Lorelei squirming against him, and his hips thrusting gently in response.


	4. St Elswhere

**Brief A/N** \- _Whoohoo I finished this chapter, and if you thought i was joking about Scars ch.19 being almost 100k words in length before i lost a third of it, let the 91k this one is at stand as proof. Now I won't be working on Engel Ch.4 Somewhere I Belong, until I'm done with Scars Ch. 19 The Show Must Go On. Yes this chapter of Engel is going to be listed as 4, but Catalyst is Ch.2.5, and this is the planned Ch.3. Please bear with any errors or discrepancies I'm in the middle of the woods with shitty wifi reception, and fixing this will have to wait until I return to civilization._

 _ **P.S.** \- This chapter is brought to you by that moment when you realize you write furry erotica._

 _ **P.P.S.** \- Finally getting around to cleaning this up a bit, will do more later; Looks like there will be a chapter 3.5 before the legit #4 whose title is aforementioned. Scars Ch.20 may come first however, that is in the cards 'cause who doesn't love a wedding? Or intrigue?_

* * *

[Sunday evening roughly 20:00]

It had been three weeks since he'd started working for Mike, and Erika at their cafe The Den Hearth. He was more grateful to Mike than the wolf would ever know for the opportunity he'd given him. Now, though, was the time to pay it forward; he'd been accepted into the Zootopia Police Academy, and was due to report in front of the gates at oh-seven-hundred to a Sergeant Furschia the Chief Drill Instructor, a female polar bear he'd learned from Zootube videos of the Academy.

He could have, if he'd wanted to, at least claimed that while he'd worked for Mike that he'd improved the state of the coffee served there at The Hearth as he'd begun fondly calling it. He refused to make the claim out of principle; he had shown Mike how to not turn perfectly good grounds into brown swill one could order from any diner and that was enough. It was bad enough Mike tried to pin the uptick in business on him; like hell would he ever admit that was true because there was no way it could be - he was not that special. Laura on the other paw, the snow leopardess who was coming back to work having finished the class she'd been taking, was multiple degrees of attractive; it had been hard for him to balance at least not coming off as a lecher to her, and dealing with Kiera who had decided that day to double down on pushing the buttons that turned him on when she'd been relaxing on that front after he'd told her she would eventually get what she wanted.

That Friday, now two days ago when he'd met Laura, Mike had suggested with Erika seconding it that they introduce him to the Tundra Town packs, formally bringing him into wolf society. He had simply shrugged, and said 'Why not?' trusting in their judgement. So now there he, and Mike were at the hall the local packs rented out for such meetings.

"You've brought a Stranger, Brother Michael." the High Alpha stated promptly bringing the Council's first order of business to the fore.

"This wolf is David Ulfherz and he is no longer a Stranger to me." Mike introduced him.

"And how did your paths cross?" the High Alpha inquired.

"He was found High Alpha, by a vixen who is Well Known to my youngest." Mike responded.

"He was found?" The High Alpha asked raising an eyebrow.

"He was found. This is known." Veronica spoke up.

"Naked, and Alone I was found. Evalyn is her name; she, and Mike's youngest clothed me, and befriended me. They are true daughters of the Mother as is Lorelei mother to Evalyn who has sheltered me. Any who would dare deny this I will challenge to a trial by combat." He said for himself.

"You assert this of vixens, and would fight to defend it's truth?" the High Alpha asked him clearly curious, and not meaning his question negatively.

"I am grateful to the Mother that they are known to me, and I to them. Let any wolf challenge me on their worth, and I will fight who I must to the death. Let this be known." He answered without hesitation.

"These vixens, what is their family name?" one of the other alphas at the council table asked.

"It is Sauvage" He answered managing the french pronunciation fairly well.

"Lorelei is known to this council. She is truly worth her fur. This is known." The other alpha who'd spoken stated.

"So you pledge yourself as her champion, and as her daughter's as well should the need arise?" the High Alpha asked.

"Before the eyes of the Mother, and Father both I Vow to defend their lives with my own unto the very shores of Ulfheim." He said resolutely his posture stiffening.

"Does this council hear this wolf's vow?" the High Alpha asked his fellows at the table.

"We hear." came the unanimous reply.

"Your vow has been heard. This council abides it. Let it be known." the High Alpha stated nodding his own approval.

"So, then David, Fellow Wolf well met." the High Alpha continued, speaking the words that signified his acceptance at the meeting itself before asking "Do you intend to join one of the packs represented here? Perhaps Brother Michael's?"

"Only the Mother, and Father will I call Alpha. I howl alone." He answered the question of the High Alpha.

"I vouch for him. With my own ears I have heard. He is a Voice of the Father" Veronica's voice broke the silence that had followed in the wake of his statement.

"I vouch for him as well. He is not without honor. My youngest sought his knot while he was still a stranger to me, and he would not tie her." Mike added though it showed that it was a little difficult for him to admit his daughter's impropriety to so many.

"I vouch against that." He raised his voice having turned to look at Mike as if he were being daft "One day I will knot her as she desires, but I will not take her as a mate. This she knows. I howl alone."

"Do you hear brothers and sisters?" Mike asked again before he looked him right in the eyes as he repeated "I vouch again that he is not without honor."

He couldn't help they way his ears twitched at that because it rankled, but he couldn't really come back to that like he wanted to. The wording was too simple to be easily refuted by his issue with them which was Mike calling attention to his honorableness. That he had his honor was something he took extremely seriously, but he knew full well how his honor was not necessarily honor to someone else, and was not keen at all at being called out for being honorable.

"You will not take his daughter for a mate? Tell me would you take a different she-wolf for a mate?" the High Alpha asked somewhat casually his demeanor showing that he accepted him, and the vouches of those who'd spoken for him.

"High Alpha, who knows what the future holds? I may end up being wrong, but as of this moment?" He asked back conversationally before his expression grew serious as he stated for all to hear "I will take no mate. Neither she-wolf, nor other. I Howl Alone."

"Why do you insist on howling alone?" the High Alpha asked clearly bothered by this fact actually standing up from his seat.

He couldn't help giving him a small smile since he asked for it. There were words to answer that question, but it was even easier to answer it without a single syllable. All it took was a thought of Sophie who he would never see again unless it was in Ulfheim, and he howled out that pain from the core of his being.

With his eyes closed, and muzzle in the air he failed to note just quite how affected by his howl the wolves around him were. They had not expected him to howl, and on top of that shock was just how clear in it his pain was. It was the sort of howl none could join in, and several were reduced to tears by it.

"If I'm lucky just maybe in Ulfheim I'll get to see again those I've lost. I stand alone, and so I howl alone." He spoke the words that went with his howl after it was done.

"We... we have heard the depth of your grief, Brother." the High Alpha responded looking rather stunned as he sat back down, and it was clear his howl was still echoing through him "Under the eyes of the Mother herself we welcome you. You are no Stranger to us."

From there the Council of Alphas went about the rest of their business while those who were curious to meet this new wolf sniffed him out.

"When you said you wouldn't take a mate with any _other_ what did you mean?" A wolf asked him curiously in a half-whisper.

"The first chance I get with any cat I'm going to show her how we canids have better tongues. Even though they have better fangs, and better claws." He answered with a happy wag of his tail as he shuddered at the pleasurable thought of those feline assets.

That apparently had been said loud enough for quite a few to stop, and stare at him. When he noticed all they got out of him was an unapologetic shrug as he said "What?"

"So you're an inter, and into felines. Do we she-wolves not float your boat?" A she-wolf asked him, and he couldn't help grinning at her before turning towards Veronica.

"Sister Veronica, I need an assist. Will you bite me?" He asked her.

"Sure." She responded with a smirk before making her way towards him.

As she reached him since she was roughly eight inches shorter he lowered his head to give her easier access. If he could've read her mind he would've laughed because she simply expected his scent to shift, and spike in a telltale fashion. It took everything he had not to wag his tail in anticipation before she bit him knowing full well just how involuntarily he'd react. That had been an interesting day when Evalyn had discovered just how weak to being bitten he was; he was secretly very grateful she did not abuse her knowledge to the extent she could have. Electricity seemed to tingle through him from the contact of her fangs in his shoulder at the base of his neck, and it made his fangs ache. In the next moment it seemed he was on the floor, having crumpled in a roll such that Veronica practically rode him to the ground.

He was motionless, quite the meaty rug underneath the arctic she-wolf, and before he could completely recover after she finally let him go he heard her distinctly amused giggle. Then she was biting him again, in nearly the same spot with more force. If it weren't for having to deal with Kiera constantly waving her tail in his muzzle the way she did he probably would've done more than just bite Veronica back. At first the effort it took turning his muzzle into her neck where he bit down with his fangs bared helped him focus away from what her biting him was doing. When she only bit him harder as she felt the pressure in his bite what focus he had broke as instinct took over. He relaxed his jaw slightly to gain better purchase then gave into the ache in his fangs pulling chi from her into himself through the contact. The second she finally let him go he released her reflexively then backed up a good yard staring at her warily while he propped himself up on his paws.

"Veronica." He got her attention unable to keep his voice from lowering seductively which was at odds with the truly feral look in his eyes. He then admonished her "Stop."

All he got in response was a look from her as she swayed her tail fanning her scent. Her scent was one thing, and though it was causing his pants to feel a little tighter he could ignore it. Her tail on the other paw was another; it was fluffy, and he wanted it. That said though he was nowhere nearly at the point where he'd say fuck it, and just carry off the she-wolf who seemed to want him to do just that.

"Veronica." He said again no less seductively before he momentarily lost his ability to form a sentence, and simply growled at her a simple message 'Back Off.'

When all that got from her was a rather playful growl in response he let out a growl that was half sigh as he closed the distance between them, and after turning her around having pulled her back into him he spoke into her ear "Do you want them to watch?"

That sobered her up which he could tell from the way she tensed in his arms as well as how her scent shifted into what he'd been able to place as embarrassment after Lorelei had walked in on Evalyn having him brush her tail. He tightened his arms around her though only enough to draw her attention to them as he moved his muzzle to her other ear telling her before he let her go "You know where I live, Sister. We can talk about this later."

"Talk?" Veronica managed to ask him as she turned back towards him doing her best to hide just how embarrassed she was by folding her ears back, and keeping her tail low.

"Yes, talk." He told her with a nod before quickly booping her nose with his since she was within range before placing a paw on her shoulder comfortingly adding "Relax, sister."

Seeing his tone have some effect he gave her nose another quick boop for good measure then turned towards Mike who he told "I'm steppin' outside for a minute."

With that he was making his way towards the door, and the wolves around him gave him room in understanding. It wasn't uncommon for arctic wolves to go into heat early in a place like Tundra Town where it was generally cold near constantly. It went lost on him that his managing to keep his cool reinforced the impression he'd already started making for being honorable in regards to his decorum with the opposite sex. Already the minor commotion he'd somewhat inadvertently caused was rippling through those single she-wolves who had come in particular the ones who were more interested in a good time between sheets than anything lasting; they all had plenty of questions about him, and since he'd essentially run away that left Mike, Veronica, and Doctor Woods who happened to also be there to field them. When more than a few of them started asking Veronica, after someone who'd overheard his mentioning it brought it up, how she knew where he lived as well as just where that was she evaded the question going so far as to run away much as he had.

Once outside he didn't waste any time taking off his black t-shirt, and stuffing it into the right leg pocket of his black cargo pants. From there it was a simple matter finding a clean patch of snow he promptly fell back into. He easily sank into the snow bank, and his attempt to make a lupine snow angel only succeeded in burying him somewhat which felt even better. It would take a while for the cold from the snow to make it through his fur so to make better use of the cold he panted freely. He couldn't help a shiver as he felt the cold against his tongue starting to work. For good measure he paused his panting to turn his head actually eating some of the snow, and the cold sensation right to his core helped immensely.

Alone with his thoughts he was debating with himself what to do. The opportunity to feed from someone actually willing to let him get that close, who wasn't Lorelei, Evalyn, or Kiera, was practically slapping him in the muzzle, and his need to do so was only growing, but he didn't want to simply use Veronica or anyone else for that matter just to fulfill that need even if he would be giving them pleasure in return. Putting his paws over his muzzle, and rubbing his eyes he was about to groan in frustration over not knowing what to do when he heard voices from upwind of him which brought to him the scents of Veronica, and a she-wolf he didn't know.

"Veronica, wait." The she-wolf he didn't know called out to her stopping her.

"I'm not going to tell you where he lives either Lucy, and he doesn't live alone for that matter." Veronica responded curtly.

"I'm not interested in him like that; those other bitches are stupid. I just want you to know what you're getting into if you came out here to find him, why you biting him like that effected him the way it did, and why he ran off." The she-wolf whose scent he could now attach a name to replied which caused him to focus his ears on their conversation thankful he was downwind of them.

"I find that hard to believe Lucy, you hide it well, but you're probably the most knot hungry she-wolf I know. Ah, I'm sorry, I don't mean it like that. So what is it that you know about him that none of us who know him do?" Veronica had snapped, more due to the onset of her heat than anything, before apologizing, and giving in to her curiosity.

"No one offends me by pointing out my 'Knot-Hunger'." Lucy replied with a laugh that struck a chord in him, so many times had he made such a fey sound, before she continued "It's not even that I'm knot hungry, or cock hungry for that matter though hunger is the key word. Sex is just a means to an end for me, and so it ends up looking that way. He is like me in that, as soon as he bit you back I felt him, and his need."

"You're not making sense. If he's just like you in that regard, not that I mind that, then why aren't you interested in him? Shouldn't you be more interested in him then?" Veronica asked clearly confused.

"I am only interested in being his friend. With how he ran, he will need someone who understands. This is not something I can just be blunt about, but he and I, our nature's are the same; us expressing those natures with eachother, taking from eachother like we need to, is simply not something I would be inclined to do nor would he." Lucy answered her before saying "You are my friend, so I want you to understand. Surely you felt it when you bit him, that it turned him on more than any normal wolf, and in a way unlike any normal wolf you're used to."

"Oh, gods yes . . . just thinking about it . . ." Veronica said as her scent spiked in arousal that wafted to his nose, and caused his gut to tighten as his fangs ached "I want to bite him again, and him to bite me back."

"Okay, that is your heat talking, and you should try to calm down." Lucy replied with a chuckle then explained "You biting him like that, you've found out, and shown every she-wolf who saw, that he is weak against us females as well as a way to exploit that weakness, but listen to me on this. Turning him on isn't like turning on any normal wolf; You exploit that weakness, and you become the salmon jumping into the bear's mouth so to speak. You know, him running like that, and that was running away, says a lot. For starters it says that as much as he needs you to be that salmon, he doesn't want you to be, and would spit you out to then try to reason with you about the morality of it all."

It was like this Lucy was reading him like a book, and as much as he wanted to simply listen to see where their conversation went it was taking a good deal of effort not to interject, and speak for himself.

"Okay, you want to run that by me again, but in a way that's easier to understand?" Veronica asked.

"You turn on a normal male, and they react in predictable ways as I'm sure you know. You turn on a male like him, you trigger more primal instincts than even that. Like I said sex is just a means to an end at least for some of us more than others of us, and the fact that all you mundanes see is the physical act of sex hides what that end really is. I'm going to tell this to you as straight as I can, if all you want to do is use him for a good time let him know, push him enough and you'll get what you want and then some. If you don't make your desire clear expect him to run from you again; I've seen it before with the males who are like us, so focused on maintaining their honor towards their food that they starve until they get pushed too far." Lucy answered.

"There you go again, with the food reference." Veronica said pointing out what remained the incongruous part to her.

"Because you are food, but not in the I'm going to flay you, and cook you way." He finally spoke up though he made no move to get up, or reveal his position.

"I was wondering when you'd finally chime in. I can feel you from here, Runner." Lucy responded to him not missing a beat.

"Well, I have my reasons alright though you managed to touch on half of them. Unlike you though I will say the words that go with our natures. Veronica, in the simplest terms possible, I am an incubus incarnate. This need Lucy keeps mentioning is a need for the life energy that flows within you that gets called chi, ki, or mana, though unlike the myths where we vampyr kill our prey, there's not a single one of us who ever needs to even come close to that sort of extreme no matter how we starve, and none of us who know what we are ever want to go that far with anyone. Life is more precious to us precisely because of our need to feed. Lucy is right, if you just want a good time I will gladly deliver just don't tell Lorelei, Evalyn, or Kiera; especially Kiera . . . but don't even get the notion that you might want more of me than that in your head; I meant it when I said I will not compete with anyone for a mate from any pack. I can no longer reciprocate romantic love, and will not be so cruel as to date someone anyway; I may be a monster, but I am not the sort to get someone to fall for me when I could never love them back." He said to them quite comfortable where he was.

"You say that so surely. That you can no longer love like that. What makes you so certain?" Lucy said to him, and he heard her approach before her muzzle came into his view albeit upside down.

"I'm going to go let Mike know that you're coming home with me." Veronica called out to him before her own footsteps on the cold ground indicated she was walking back inside.

"Because it's the truth, Lucy." He told her looking into her eyes as he admired her black fur "Before you even start about how a heart can heal, or how love can do the healing; that is all too late for me. I don't want to get into it, but that is just how things are."

"I believe you David, and I won't press; I understand how there are some things like that. Though if you have really lost the ability to love another like that, well that's just sad." Lucy replied before she changed the subject "After that Howl of Grief you've proven you truly are a Voice of the Father, and indisputably an alpha in your own right; even the saddest of alphas howling their pain could not hold a candle to you. I have to admit, I'm not the only one now very curious about you, and you say you were found naked and alone?".

"I woke up in the fur in the middle of the woods almost four weeks ago now, remembering only my given name. For three days I walked, sleeping under the snow at night, hoping to find civilization; I found Evalyn who in turn was looking for me, driven by curiosity about just who had been howling in the night. She had no reason to show me the kindness she did, but she did, as did her friend Kiera who clothed me, and Lorelei who has sheltered me. I am indebted to them more than I could repay, and then Mike offered me a job like it was just a simple thing; him I owe as much if not more than what I owe Lorelei, Evalyn, and Kiera together. As for that Howl of Grief as you call it, that was just me thinking about the one mammal who is lost to me that I miss the most; I remember my family, and they are all lost to me." He explained with a shrug.

"So you're an amnesiac, but you've started getting your memory back; couldn't you return home?" Lucy asked him plainly curious, and obviously not meaning any offense.

"I can't. I mean I could travel to where I remember calling home which is in Califurnia I have been told it's called, not the California I remember it being and know it as, but there would be nothing there; This I Know. It doesn't really matter though, because I have been given a second chance, and already my life is going so much better than I remember it was; I'm not going to waste it. Which is why I'm going to do something I wouldn't have done before, and joining the ZPD. In fact it's tomorrow morning that I have to report to the Academy." He answered her initially indifferent, but as he mentioned his second chance he grinned clearly upbeat about it.

"You're gonna become a cop, huh? So why would that be something you wouldn't have done before?" Lucy inquired.

"Because I don't believe in upholding unjust laws which nearly all prohibitionary drug laws are as a prime example, and I wasn't exactly the most fit. All I ever wanted, and never seemed to find was a place in society where I could fit. This time I'm giving it a shot, and maybe it'll allow me to do better with my life than I did before." He told her plainly before he couldn't help his light laugh "I may still be me, but the person I was before is dead, and I have a fresh start which I'm not going to squander. Plus with this form looking like it does, I feel closer to the true me than ever before so yay for that psychological boost."

"You know you talk funny." Lucy said with a light laugh of her own though it was plain she was merely stating an observation before she told him "I think you might just make a good cop, at least you don't come across as the type to let the authority go to your head like most alphas."

"I am aware most find my way of speaking strange. I don't really care, and am kinda proud of my strangeness, and weirdness." He responded with an easy grin adding "Thank you for the vote of confidence, and no I am not that sort of alpha, or person in general for that matter. Even if I am greater than others that is no reason to lord it over anyone, or seek recognition for it; what good does it really even do to be acknowledged like that? I mean so what if others say I am a good person, or kind, or honorable, or noble; that just means I'm going to get beaten with the short end of the stick by those who aren't any of those things."

"Gods . . . you really are a wounded soul aren't you?" Lucy asked him her tone sympathetic as she shook her head.

"Ha! . . . ahh . . ." He gave a bark of laughter before he sighed, and said to her with both indifference, and bitterness "Wounded really is the word for it, but it doesn't really matter, and it matters even less that half of it is self inflicted; even if anyone cares there's not a damn thing they could do. It's the way of the world Lucy, in case the Suffering that is Life hasn't shown you, that the good get chewed up and spat out by everyone else like it's what we're here for; it probably is. Why do you think the saying 'Nice Guys finish last' exists? It's because we are the ultimate losers, and despite the naivete of monotheists we shall never be first. As if there would even ever be a judgement day where that boot gets put on the other foot; that is delusionally wishful thinking."

"How can you just say all that?" She asked him adding "I don't want you to be right, but I wouldn't even know where to begin trying to say that you're wrong."

"Well, Lucy I can at least give you this brightside to things. Even if it doesn't pay to be a good person, and in fact does the opposite of that; even if because we are good it is our lot to suffer more for it; that is all the more reason for us to never give up, for no other reason than it is simply our nature, and deep down on a subconscious level we know that the day we give up, stop being good, and start being bad is the day we become the worst evil. The world should be afraid of us good people you know just for that fact; we could one day just say fuck it en masse, and switch sides becoming active mirrors reflecting back onto the world all that we've absorbed of it's cruelty, and indifference. I mean doing so is kind of anathema to our fundamental nature, but the potential is there, and we could get pushed into it." He responded to her.

"I think I get what you're trying to say, but you suck at 'brightsides'." She said to him with a light laugh.

"But I am a vampire, my dear girl. Sucking is what we do." He joked back with a grin before saying "You know Life is Suffering, it is a universal truth the buddhists are right to point out, but they seek freedom from suffering which is impossible. Truly what people should do is embrace suffering in the same way they should embrace their shadow, thereby moving into, and through it. Also the fact that suffering is inescapable makes it an imperative to be as good as you can so that you minimize that suffering as much as possible; see suffering is what teaches us more than anything else, like how getting burnt teaches one to be careful with fire, but not all suffering is necessary, and unnecessary suffering is a thing to be abhorred."

"I walked into that one didn't I?" She said chuckling at his come back before she tilted her head to the side and asked him "Is that how you do it? Stay the sort of good person that you are, and just shrug off all the hurt you carry?"

"Well, I can't just shrug it all off, some of it is just there, and I'm really not that good of a person; I just try to be better than my worst tendencies. Doesn't change that they're there, and even if no one else sees, I know they're there." He responded.

"You know I would feel sorry for you, incubus that you clearly are, since I only have to lift my tail, but fuck your eyes are pretty. I've never seen heterochromia like that before." Lucy commented to him adding "You can just look at bitches, the way I can lift my tail, cant you?"

"I'm well aware, thanks." He couldn't help replying sarcastically before adding "I doubt that would work even if I tried, and I'm not about to try that one."

"Hey, Luce." Mike greeted her as he approached before commenting "You two are getting along."

"Do you need a paw David?" Veronica asked him, and he could just picture her muzzle expression as she tilted her head from her tone which was a mix of curiosity and insinuation.

"Hey, Mike." Lucy greeted him back before swiftly asking Veronica "Sister, will you come here, and tell me something?"

"Sure, what do you want to know." Veronica responded before she hastened across the remaining distance between them quite avidly.

"Do you think he could get a bitch to drop her pants with eyes like his?" Lucy asked her clarifying "He seems to think I'm pulling his leg."

"That, uh, is kind of a loaded question, Lucy." Veronica said to her clearly surprised before her muzzle entered his view as she looked down at him.

Veronica then quickly jerked away, and exclaimed "Holy fucking hell. That's a trick of the light right?"

"Well, I want the loaded answer." Lucy told her firmly before adding "I know right, but it is a kick ass trick."

Veronica looked down at him then quickly looked back up at Lucy telling her in a rushed half-whisper " _He's shared food he has cooked with me, I'd drop them anyway, but yes he has those kind of eyes._ "

"What's a trick of the light?" He asked them adding to Lucy "I know my eyes are pretty, too many bitches have told me that."

"Mike, come see this." Lucy said to him gesturing with a paw before looking down and asking him "Oh? So you know, and you still think you couldn't use them to your advantage?"

"See what?" He asked her adding "Oh I will use them, but they would never work like you suggested."

"This is not how whack-a-mole works." He couldn't help sarcastically telling Mike as his head too popped into his field of view looking him in the muzzle.

"Holy fuck." Mike said in surprise before he jerked away adding "That is spooky."

"Okay, one of you answer me, or I'm going for your ankles, and it will not tickle." He threatened them fully prepared to grab either three of them by the leg to pull them off their feet.

"The yellow light from the lamp post over there is reflecting off the inner rings of your irises, which I'm assuming are amber, while the darkness is making whatever color the rest of your irises are appear black, or at least damn near black against your sclera with our sort of low-light vision." Lucy explained to him before asking him hopefully "Will you please hold still, and let me try to get a photo? I don't think anyone would ever believe me."

"Go ahead, I don't mind, and I kinda want to see that for myself." He answered her looking up into the sky.

"Alright, give me a sec." Lucy responded, and he did his best to ignore the sound of her footsteps as she approached his head.

He didn't have to wait long before Lucy was exclaiming happily "Yes! It's not the full effect, but I got it."

At that he rolled to his right then got himself vertical saying to her "Show me."

When she looked up at him from her phone Lucy's eyes widened, and she out of reflex it seemed took a defensive step back saying "Holy shit, the rest of them is blue."

"Heh, the yellow of your eyes is still catching the light." Mike commented.

"Damn, it is." Veronica added admiringly.

"You know I hear enough people go on about my eyes I'm gonna gouge them out of my skull." He told them reflexively with a slight growl in irritation adding "No one fucking cared before, so stop it."

"Just how fucking broken are you?" Lucy asked him in response before holding her phone out to him like some sort of talisman as she looked away from him saying "I will cuff you if you try, that would be a crime against nature, though will you please not point them at me."

"You know we're just being honest with you, David." Mike said to him.

"There's a lyric I remember being fond of 'the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes'." He responded to that adding "I get that you were being honest, but no one has ever given two shits about the fact that my eyes are blue, and no one ever looked close enough to note the yellow, or if they did they never said shit."

He then said to Lucy as he looked for himself, and saw what she'd meant about the angle of the light "Too bad I'm gonna point 'em at you when I speak to you, it's called common courtesy. If I give you my number will you text me a copy."

"Well, I can't look you in the eye. I do not want to cheat on my boyfriend." Lucy responded turning back towards him before quickly averting her gaze to her phone saying "Sure, just give me your number."

"What?" He couldn't help asking not quite sure of his ears adding "Are you suggesting cheating can be done through eye contact?"

"What? No." She replied adding with her ears folding back "I have a weakness for blue eyes."

"Ah, I know what you mean. I have a weakness for white fur." He responded before giving her his number.

"So who's your boyfriend?" Veronica asked Lucy with friendly curiosity before saying to him flirtatiously "A weakness for white fur, huh?"

"The Mother's fur is white; you have no idea." He responded to Veronica with a grin.

"I'm . . . uh . . . going out with Kevin." Lucy answered Veronica somewhat nervously, and he noted how she took a slight side step away from Mike.

"I was wondering if you two would. You don't need to keep it a secret Luce." Mike told her clearly happy to hear her say so.

"We don't exactly have the most traditional of relationships." Lucy replied her tail wagging behind her submissively.

"Is it working for you, and are you happy?" Mike asked her simply.

"It . . . It is. I think Kevin would tell you the same." Lucy answered him her confidence returning.

"That's all that matters, Luce. You're not going to get any objections from me" Mike assured her before teasing her a bit "If you let Erika she will try to put dress ideas in your head."

"Whoa, let's not start talkin' crazy now." Lucy responded looking scared at the thought, and adding "Even if that's in the cards I ain't lookin'."

"Heh-heh, just giving you fair warning, Luce. If my son is an idiot, and fucks up what I've seen he has with you I will be very disappointed in him." Mike told her honestly.

"That, means a lot. Thank you . . ." Lucy replied slowly before turning towards Mike holding her arms open for a hug which he presently gave her.

"So, you have a weakness for white fur because the Mother's fur is white, do I have that right?" Veronica asked him having moved within reach, distracting him from the moment Lucy was having.

"You have no idea. I love her in ways I have no words for." He told her honestly, before adding "I also have white fur, so there is some homoeroticism in that."

"You're not joking are you?" Mike asked him concernedly no doubt since he too had white fur.

"Nope." He responded adding with a grin "I'm not joking, handsome."

"Lucy. Help." Mike hyperbolically begged her with an exaggerated whimper.

"How? Be a body shield?" Lucy asked rhetorically.

"Yes." Mike told her quickly before he started laughing, and Mike followed suit letting Lucy go.

"I don't think you need to fear for your butthole, Mike." Veronica joked laughing with them.

"I'm not afraid of that." Mike responded defensively.

"Hehe, you are so off base." He said to Veronica, chuckling at the ridiculousness of her suggestion, before adding to Mike "I still think it's hilarious _what your mate_ thinks about it."

"It's never going to happen." Mike told him resolutely.

"I know, that's what makes it funny to me." He responded with a chuckle.

"Oh? How am I off base, then?" Veronica asked him curiously.

"Okay, what am I missing?" Lucy asked looking at Mike before turning him.

"The short answer. I may have put an offer on the table that he'd never accept because he is a happily mated mammal, and that I would never really make good on for the same reason, which Erika thinks he should take me up on." He told them with a shrug adding "It's becoming something of an inside joke."

"Of course _you_ did." Veronica said with a grin as she raised an eyebrow appraising first him then Mike adding "Though I kinda side with Erika. That'd be an interesting show."

"Oh-kay . . . I don't want to know anymore than that." Lucy told him before turning to Veronica and saying "You, and Erika have screws loose then; these two alphas are clearly not compatible that way."

"Thanks, Luce." Mike said to her gratefully.

"Oh, come on Luce." Veronica responded "You can't tell me that the obvious seme acting like an uke, and the obvious uke not knowing how to deal with it wouldn't be hot as fuck."

"It definitely can be hot as fuck, I have seen it, but I can't see it happening between these two. Not that I really want to imagine it either." Lucy told her.

"Lucy has the right of it Veronica. We'd have to be marooned on an island for at least a fortnight before I'd even start really looking at him like that." He told her honestly adding with seriousness "Assuming I could craft a spear to fish with there'd never be reason for me to look at him like that either."

"I should feel reassured by that, but the way you put it kind of scares me, brother." Mike said to him a little warily.

"It shouldn't. Fresh caught fish are a decent source of chi; they live in water afterall." He said to Mike before adding with a Smeagol-esque hiss " _Give it to us raw, and wriggling._ "

"They _are_ decent, but not _ideal_." Lucy commented.

"No, they are not really a suitable staple; consistent supply is difficult by nature." He agreed with her.

"So, you really did do to that chicken what Kiera said you did?" Mike asked him looking at him askance.

"I paid for it, it was mine to make disappear as I saw fit; it was food." He responded unhesitatingly owning his actions adding "You have no idea how therapeutic that was, or what it's like to be hungry, and smell birds forever out of reach."

"Hey, I'm not judging; I just didn't expect you'd really do that." Mike assured him.

"What would you do if you were stranded like that with a she-wolf?" Veronica asked him transparently flirting with him.

"Tell her the same thing I'd have to tell a female coyote; assuming I can keep us fed prepare for cubs. Winter always comes." He told her with a shrug adding "At least in that sort of hypothetical. Like hell am I starting a family any time soon, if at all. In fact I mean not to."

"I can't say I blame you, on that one Brother. I don't think I'd be able to start over like that either." Mike said to him understandingly.

"Well, a family in that way at least." He corrected himself clarifying "You Mike, Erika, Kiera, Lorelei, and Evie are the only family I've got."

"I hope you know that you're family to us too." Mike told him catching him off guard with his seriousness as he added "I do not think my daughter can, or will, find a more worthy wolf to call alpha."

"Mike . . ." He responded before the emotions that caused to course through his hara stopped him, and he had to start over as he bowed deeply "You honor me with your faith, and trust, but I am not yet ready for that responsibility."

"True enough, as you put it, you're still getting back in the saddle, but you will be back in it eventually." Mike said to him before asking "I've got that phrase right, right?"

"Yep, you've got the right of it." He told Mike.

"Wait, so, David… When you howled for the family you lost… ?" Veronica asked him with clear trepidation unable to fully articulate the question he knew she was asking.

"Mike, this is the wolf you'd see Kiera call alpha?" Lucy asked plainly before looking surprisedly at Veronica, no doubt for her question, then turning to him her ears folding back.

"That wasn't a howl for my family." He corrected Veronica telling her simply "That howl was for Sophie alone; the one I miss the most . . . _My Sweet Daughter . . ._ "

"No . . . David . . . I'm so sorry . . ." Veronica said beginning to cry as she embraced him quite forcefully.

"Fuck . . ." Lucy responded as she took a step back, then sank into a squat, saying wide-eyed with shock "You're probably only a couple years older than me, and you've already lost a daughter? That _Howl_ was not a lie . . ."

"It was a lifetime ago, now. All I can do is look forward, and live for tomorrow, and my dying day whenever that may come." He told them, reflexively wrapping his left arm around Veronica's shoulders.

"You should see him with cubs, Luce; in fact ask Erika the next time you talk to her, she took recordings." Mike said to her before giving him a look adding "If my daughter calls any other wolf alpha it had better be because he's proven worthy as her mate. There is no doubt in my mind that he truly is one of the Mother's own."

"So nothing makes me happier than canid, and felid cubs, and I have the Cub at Heart perk; Sue me." He responded to Mike defensively before telling him "I belong to Her, that much is true; my soul is in her paws. That's why it's not on the table."

"Then the reason you can't reciprocate romantic love as you put it . . . you lost your mate too, and your heart with her . . . no wonder you are so broken." Lucy said to him sympathetically as she stared wide-eyed at his chest.

"That isn't actually the reason, but the end result is the same." He corrected her adding "I don't really want to get into it right now, it's ancient history, and I don't think you'd really want to know either."

"He went unclaimed… " Mike stated simply.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm an opportunistic, and polyamorous incubus." He responded irritatedly adding "A tiger cannot change his stripes. Can we skip it?"

"You went unclaimed . . . for that?" Lucy asked him slowly with clear trepidation.

"She wasn't ready for the sort of commitment I was, and after I showed my true colors, 'cause ya know _needs_ we grew apart. Before our paths had recrossed in the first place I'd foreseen that's how what we had would fall apart, and when she later married another I felt nothing." He felt the need to explain, part of him understanding intuitively her fear, adding "This is galaxy far far away shit from a long time ago now. Tomorrow is more important than yesterday, even as yesterday informs today."

"But you had a daughter?" Veronica asked him confusedly with a sniffle as he felt her look up at him.

"I took her in the same way Lorelei has taken me in." He explained before telling her assertively "If you don't stop crying for me I'm going to start licking you. I am not above biting you from there until your mood improves."

"That sounds good, but do you really have something against someone feeling sympathy for you?" Veronica responded her voice clearing.

"Yes." He told her unhesitatingly before he licked her right ear then added "I do. So what if I'm wounded? Why the fuck should anyone care if none of it is changeable, and most of it is my fault to begin with? It's not like I'm in mortal pain."

"Your fault?" Lucy asked him managing to stand up again, and as he looked up from licking the top of Veronica's head he noticed just how brightly yellow her eyes were.

Combined with the way her fur was black he couldn't help thinking of the batman logo, but it was a butterfly he pinned to the wall of his mind as he answered her "Yes, my heartlessness is my fault. I raised the blade, I made the change; my other wounds might not be self inflicted, but that one is, and I don't want to get into it anymore. If I let myself dwell on all that shit . . . well, I've got a broader pick of poisons now; only need a couple pawfuls of pecans. I could even make it a couple pies."

"Veronica, hit him." Mike told her firmly adding "You're closer."

"No." She insisted before telling him "No, do not even start talking like that."

"You don't beat suicidal tendencies out of a mammal." Lucy admonished Mike.

"No, but you slap a mammal that's getting hysterical, or fixated on something." Mike responded adding "It works when Evalyn does it."

"Y'all're the ones who won't let the subject drop. Listen to what I say: Yesterday is yesterday, today was today, and Tomorrow will be tomorrow. Am I broken beyond repair in key areas? Sure, but we all have our malfunctions." He told them exasperatedly, adding sarcastically "What's your malfunction? Malfunction away."

"You like S.P.G.?" Lucy asked her ears perking up before they lowered again as she said "I hope one day you'll give me the full story, I just want to understand . . . how someone so clearly broken still has the strength to stand."

"I love Steam Powered Giraffe." He answered her deepening his voice as he added imitating The Spine "I am a Diamond."

"Take it from a simple wolf Luce this wolf's story is a lot like that howl of his." Mike said to her adding bluntly "Fucking heavy, like what the fuck is he made of?"

"Steam Powered Giraffe?" Veronica asked curiously.

"Yeah, I'm wondering that too, Mike." Lucy said to him before asking him huskily actually meeting his gaze "Please, do that again."

"Hello, Darkness my old friend." He obliged Lucy with a grin, before looking down at Veronica, and saying more normally "They're a really cool steampunk band, 'Honeybee' would be a good track for you to look up first if you're so inclined, ooh or 'Fire, Fire'. They have a bunch of good ones."

"Fuck . . . You are just not fair." Lucy told him, clearly having found his delivery pleasing, before asking him seriously "Please, don't do that again."

" _No, I am your Father, and I fart in your general direction. It is only a flesh wound._ " He responded doing his best not to laugh, and fuck up.

"You did not seriously just…?" Lucy asked as she started snickering.

"Oh, no. Not again." Mike said as he face-pawed.

" _Do not underestimate the power of the Dad joke._ " He told them before he cracked, and laughing told them "Alright. I know to quit when I'm ahead."

"Okay, you really are not fair." Veronica told him with a whine as she stepped back into him weakly slamming her fisted paw into his chest as she added "Telling me not to cry for you, and then you say shit like that. I heard the same howls of yours that Evie did, and to know now just why you made them . . ."

"And I didn't think of it like that until you said something; thanks Truthsayer." He told her with a frown as he lightly rested his paws on her shoulders before adding "I'm still gonna make dad jokes whenever I see the door open for one; they hold a special place in my heart."

"Yeah, thanks Veronica." Lucy added sarcastically before saying glumly "That's just fucking sad."

"Damn . . ." Mike said solemnly lowering his head.

"Well, in other news. You want to tell me my eyes are somethin', you should look in a mirror Lucy, just sayin'." He told her before asking Veronica "So, uh, what do you got I can fix us for dinner?"

"You can fix me, and a drink." Veronica responded off the cuff her voice like silk before telling him simply "Just raid the fridge, work your magic, and we'll chill."

"Thank you." Lucy responded to his compliment before asking him with a raised eyebrow "Did you just flip a switch, or something? And how?"

"You haven't had his cooking. He has a really good nose, and thinks outside the box in terms of flavors." Mike told her with clear fondness.

"Hey, I'm no trained professional. Just a passionate amateur." He countered.

"Well, that passion shows; you are good at what you do." Veronica said to him before snickering as she added "There's gonna be noise complaints tonight."

"You should leave a note on the door - 'Do not disturb. We're just getting stuck, not fighting to the death'." He suggested with a chuckle shaking his head at remembering Evie having to answer the door because the cops had been called to a 'domestic disturbance'.

"That's not a half bad idea." Veronica admitted before saying to him flirtatiously "You know I'm more of a pawful than any vixen."

"You have bigger fangs, I am counting on it." He told her confidently his tail wagging behind him.

"I hope you're not just saying that." She responded mischievously

"Do I look the type to just say that?" He asked her taking a half step forward into her space to accentuate their height difference before payfully calling her as he leaned down then lightly licked her muzzle "Little bitch."

"I think it's time we walk away, Luce, before the unwelcome bombs of oversharing get worse." Mike suggested to her.

"Yeah." She agreed before telling them "You two go get a room."

At that he couldn't help his amused snort before saying to Veronica "We haven't even started yet, but they have a point. Which way are you parked?"

"Heh-heh, no we haven't, but we should." Veronica responded her tail wagging playfully before she gestured behind her answering his question "Over there."

"Alright, well Mike I'll see you in the morning, and Lucy as the first fellow . . . strigoi . . . I've actually met in the flesh, I hope we can be friends, demo sayonara." He said to them, having to pause to think of a word for vampyr in a language she might know that Mike wouldn't.

"As for you, sexy little bitch." He said to Veronica before he picked her up bridal style, and told her "I'd throw you over my shoulder, but I need you to point to wherever the fuck there is."

He then muttered not really caring that she heard him "Girl directions . . ."

"It's over there." Veronica responded innocently pointing with her right paw over her left shoulder.

"Cheeky little bitch." He couldn't help chuckling amusedly at that before telling her, his voice deepening with emphasis " _You should Be Prepared._ "

"Sayonara, kyuketsuki nii-kun." Lucy told him before turning, and putting a paw on Mike's shoulder said to him "Come on."

"See you in the morning." Mike told him with a nod before saying to Lucy as he turned with her back towards the hall "I guess I should have a talk with your father."

"About what? There's nothing to talk about." He heard Lucy protest as he walked off with Veronica towards the street where she'd pointed, but it wasn't long before they were out of earshot.

"So, just what should I be prepared for? The big bad wolf?" Veronica asked him teasingly.

"Prepared to show me everything you've got." He told her with a slight growl that got her tail wagging before their conversation summoned lyrics like a flash from a dark section of his memories, and he couldn't help singing villainously with his natural bass " _I know it sounds sordid, but you'll be rewarded when at last I am given my dues, and injustice deliciously squared; Be prepared!_ "

"Okay, Lorelei told me you had a good singing voice. She did not mention you sound like that." Veronica said to him with clear arousal, which he could smell, adding playfully "I was kinda picturing you looking good cosplaying as the Winter Soldier, but now I can just imagine you in that cosplay, doing karaoke with Captain America . . . mmm"

"I'm not that great." He told her before chucking at her comparison of him to that character, and adding to her suggestion "I'm down so long as Black Widow is there. Though the Winter Soldier, huh?"

"Damaged goods with a fairly dangerous streak, but in the end is a good guy; yeah, you kinda fit the bill. Plus you dress like Bucky pretending to be a civilian." She explained her reasoning to him adding "Thanks to you it's sort of my head-cannon now that Bucky as he modernizes is a metalhead."

"So which automotive carriage be yours, bonnie lass?" He asked as he reached the cars parked along the curb before telling her "I can't argue with that, I guess, and I can picture Bucky totally being into Arya."

"My plates say Noble Frost" She told him, and he found said plates reading 'NblFrst' on a little black older model Toyota pick-up while she added curiously "Arya? You don't mean like the Stark, right? That'd be weird."

"Looks more like nibble first to me." He couldn't help joking with her as he walked her around to the driver's side door explaining "What? Don't be silly. Literally Arya means 'rock' in Russian, and they're like one of the more popular native metal bands."

"I actually get that a lot, here." She responded as he set her down, and she got out her keys then unlocked the door adding "I'm from Ulfhaven, and though adopted my family name is Noble. We are a branch of the Frost Tribe, so yeah."

She then teased him "If you want me to nibble first, I can do that."

"Heh, bitch, you got in the first two bites." He told her taking a step back, and putting a paw on his chest in mock affrontement adding "I need to get a few in edgewise."

"I did, didn't I?" She asked him sounding quite pleased with herself as she opened the driver side door, and he walked around to the passenger side.

Once on the otherside he was presented with a potential dilemma. Veronica had not sat down then leaned over to unlock the passenger door; no she had crawled in so her knees were on the driver seat, and her paws were on the passenger seat.

Being himself a wolf, now anyway, did not preclude him from the natural inclination towards sensible fear at the prospect of getting into the close quarters of a vehicle with a wolf in a biting mood.

"It's a trap." He said to her as he opened the door.

"Is it?" She asked him back her butt swaying behind her with her tail totally fooling no one.

"Yeah, the sort of trap you recognize for what it is, but don't really have a way out of springing. Duke Leto could not refuse the fiefdom of Arrakis." He responded before telling her "Move over."

Thankfully she obliged him shifting into a seiza, and he got in, but before she could do anything he put a paw up to stop her saying quite seriously "Before we get started, I just want you to understand something. I'm not trapped in here with you, you're trapped in here with me."

"You sure about that?" She asked him playfully as she stretched back out putting her paws on his left thigh as he shut the passenger door.

"Well, your door is still open, so you can still run if you want, but that won't get us anywhere." He responded pointing out the simple fact as he closed the distance between their muzzles pressing his nose gently into hers.

"No, running wouldn't get us anywhere would it?" She asked him suggestively as she moved her right paw closer to his crotch.

"Neither will you not driving." He said to her placing his left paw over her right before running his right paw through her ruff, and bringing it up behind her left ear which he rubbed as he asked her "We don't have all that far to go, do we?"

"Ngh… ah… No we don't." She answered him relaxedly as her head leaned into his paw, and her body followed before she asked him breathlessly "What are you doing to me?"

"I've noticed this among the canids I've interacted with, that there isn't really any ear petting. Paw to ear contact seems limited to reprimanding pinches, or flicks, while the positive counters to these things are head pats, and ear licks." He explained to her adding "You have no idea how clumsy due to its shape this paw really is for what I'm doing."

"Ear petting?" She asked him as she went from leaning towards it to resting on the dash.

"Something so simple, and platonic, but the tongue was the primary touch receptor for so long before dexterous paws evolved; it makes a certain sort of sense." He commented lifting his left paw up to rub the base of her other ear.

"Platonic? I think I love you." She responded asking him "Do you know how good this feels?"

"You're just saying that because you're finding out what you didn't even know you were missing, and I do actually since I showed Evie, and Lorelei how it's done." He told her before moving both paws up to massage the entirety of each ear with a feline kneading technique.

"Gods . . ." She gasped as she began panting "Don't stop. Where did you even learn this?"

"The answer to that involves memories you don't have the security clearance for." He told her chuckling internally that 'security clearance' had been the words that came to mind, though they certainly fit, adding as he moved his paws lower down the back of her neck continuing his ministrations "If you think this is enjoyable wait until we get back home, and I get you naked; I enjoy giving full body massages."

"Not fucking fair." She told him with a whine before saying with the sort of frustrated growl that made her position crystal clear "Okay, stop so I can get us to where we can really get going."

He did as she asked, and she started up her truck which she let warm up as she turned the radio on getting her phone connected to the tape deck adapter.

"Can I tell you something?" She asked as she tapped, and swiped at her phone no doubt looking for a song to fit her mood.

"Sure." He responded.

"I haven't felt that . . . sort of relaxed . . . since I was a cub falling asleep next to my big brother. Also I guess I just haven't gotten close enough to notice before, but you smell like him . . . " She said to him.

"Oh-kay . . ." He replied not sure how to take that his ears splaying back as she raised a major red flag.

"If I were going on scent alone, and it was just the three of us in a room, I would probably confuse the two of you." She added before assuring him with clear appraisal "But you are definitely not him. Not at all."

"So to be clear you still want me to fuck you?" He asked her his tail, which he was sitting on, giving a hopeful little wag against his knees.

"What?" She asked him confusedly before saying "Why would you think I don't?"

"I've gotten 'you remind me of my uncle' before . . . from a girl who was just a tease . . . a long time ago in a galaxy far far away." He told her the fact of the memory standing out more than the vague impressions of being under a large pine tree with several others, and oppressive summer heat.

"David." She said to him seriously "You had better fuck me. Do we understand each other?"

"Perfectly." He responded internally heaving a sigh of relief as his tail such that it could wagged with a bit more vigor.

"Good." She said as she tapped her phone starting the music, and adding as she shifted into drive getting them on the road "Like I said, you are a very different wolf from my brother. Besides your scent the only other similarity you two share is the fact that I'm pretty sure he's gay, while you are bi."

To that he simply nodded before he quickly recognized the song as "Sick Like Me" by In This Moment.

"So you like In This Moment? Their single Forever turned me on to them for life; Maria Brink is one sexy as fuck . . . what species is she?" He said to Veronica making conversation.

"Grey wolf, and yes she's one damn sexy bitch." She responded.

* * *

"It's only fair since I now know his daughter is dating my son, that he knows that my son is dating his daughter." Mike said to her with a shrug as they started walking back towards the hall.

"Do you have to?" She asked doing her best not to whine adding "Can't we just keep things underground?"

"You know I do." He answered her before telling her "You wish to maintain your discretion, and I see no reason for you not to. I do not think your father will either."

The whine she'd held back came out anyway in response before she said to him "Thank you."

"No problem, Luce." He replied good naturedly, and they fell into a patch of silence.

"Mike, when he said he raised the blade, and made the change; that he is responsible for his heartlessness - do you know what he was talking about?" She asked him as they neared the doors to the hall, her mind having reached that part of going back over her interaction with him.

"I do not. All I know is what he's mentioned about going unclaimed, and that being the second half of the story. I imagine Evie, and Lorelei would know for sure." He answered her.

"Well, I can hazard a guess, but it's . . . Mike . . ." She told him pausing as the visualization of just what he'd done seemed to crystalize in her mind, and she nearly choked at the horror of it "Mike, it's . . . horrible."

"What do you mean? You're kinda scaring me, Luce." He asked her stopping in his tracks to look her in the muzzle.

"You know what chi is right?" She asked back, and when he nodded she added "How about chakras?"

"Erika has gotten me into Yoga, and I used to watch Naruto with Kev." He answered her encouragingly.

"Well, while a scientist will tell you everything is just neuro-chemicals in the brain, and be right about the physical body, the subtle body is a bit different. The japanese consider the Hara, your gut, to be the seat of all emotion, and they are only slightly off the mark. It is the core of your soul's emotions, but the meshing of metaphysical and physical is more nuanced than that. We have this idea of the heart as the seat of emotions for a reason, it is the one for the mortal emotions we feel, which is why it can break and heal over and over - the surface of the ocean rippling while the depths have different currents. I can't answer for the why, but I can guess the how, of how he is heartless as if he's lost a mate when he can't even say that much; he was being literal, he cut it out." She explained to him.

"That… That can be done?" Mike asked her incredulously.

"Well, technically yes, but the strength of will necessary to do it . . ." She answered him trailing off at a loss for words before managing to say "Wounds like that, if they can heal at all, take lifetimes of reincarnating to do so."

"You know it's kinda crazy, on one paw he's heartless, but on the other that howl was in him . . ." Mike pointed out.

"That Howl . . ." She repeated her eyes widening as _that_ took on new meaning before she responded "Worse. Worse, Mike. If you lost Erika, you might never recover, but there is still the chance. He cut it out; he no longer has that chance."

She then circled back telling him "That howl was from his hara, that was the pain of his soul we heard . . . for the daughter he lost . . ."

"For one of his daughters." Mike corrected her adding somberly "The one he remembers the strongest."

"He had more than one?" She couldn't help asking at that dreading the answer.

"Two daughters, and a son, but he can only remember his eldests name . . ." Mike told her before trailing off, and she could see the tears roll down his cheeks.

"Mike, are you crying?" She asked him compassionately, resting a paw on his shoulder.

"I . . ." Mike started, and his jaw quavered with his emotions "I am a father with a son, and daughter. I know the love in me, I would not know I had, if not for them. I have seen, and heard in how he is with other cubs the echo of that love in him. If that howl was from his soul, then that echo is too . . ."

Mentally screaming 'Fuck, what do I do!' she just wrapped her arms around Mike, and held him as he cried not knowing what she could possibly say. They stood like that for a few minutes, and as she did her best to comfort Mike simply by being there she realized that while she could understand David's pain more rationally as one mammal to another Mike understood it as one parent to another.

"Thank you..." Mike said to her as he regained himself.

She just rubbed his back before letting him go saying "Anytime, Mike."

After he had taken a cleansing breath, and run his paws over his muzzle to refresh himself they walked back into the building.

"I figured it'd be Veronica coming back in with her tail between her legs, not you." Candice, a bitch she really didn't care for said to her as she, and Mike had just gotten back in the hall proper.

"Don't be a cunt. It's better he left with the Ulfhavener." Larry, Candice's cousin chided her before saying to Mike "So that's the wolf that nearly killed my son?"

"That was a fight your son should've walked from when he was given the chance." Mike responded defensively.

"I know, and I'm glad he's learned that lesson as well as a few others. I hadn't realized my son was becoming the sort of wolf he was becoming after the accident; I was too much in my own grief, and I was failing him. I had hoped to shake his paw." Larry told Mike with a regretful sigh clearly surprising him.

"What do you mean it's better he left with the Ulfhavener?" Candice asked Larry affrontedly adding "And what do you mean he nearly killed Karl? That's the wolf who put his arm in a cast?"

"If he's not going to take any mate, but still mount whoever he can then it's better he left with her since she too is a lone wolf we recognize." Larry answered her before telling her "My son started it, and escalated it; that wolf merely responded in kind, and was about to use his fangs since my son drew a knife until the vixen, Evie?, as both Officer Wolford, and Karl put it saved his life."

"So, what? The rest of us single bitches have to make do with the same old wolves?" Candice asked Larry sourly though most of her hot air balloon had been deflated.

"You're gonna tell her not to be a cunt to me 'cause I lift my tail for whoever I damn well please, but then you're gonna go on about that antiquated crap?" She asked him raising her eyebrow at his hypocrisy before telling Candice "Believe it, or not I don't actually want anything to do with him as far as getting stuck goes even though he is fucking sexy."

"Now damnit, I meant that this way we get an opportunity to further feel out the wolf who just out howled every alpha here" Larry told them before shaking his head as he said still floored by what he'd heard ". . . the Howl he did it with."

"A wolf you think is sexy, but don't want to get stuck to? I find that hard to believe." Candice said to her scoffingly before adding with her ears folding back "Though what was up with that Howl? . . ."

"You are right about that Brother." Her dad, who happened to be the currently elected High Alpha, said to them having made his way over to where they were "I've heard unliving wolves howl their pain, and have even heard a Voice before howl as a Voice, in joy believe it or not, but none of those howls come close to what that wolf just did. I agree, we should watch him, and feel him out further."

Her dad then turned to Mike "As far as that goes, I was hoping you might tell me more about him, since our Sister the Truthsayer took off with him."

"There won't be much to feel out." She said to her dad grimly.

"Oh?" Her dad asked turning to her only to snap back to Mike, and scrutinizing him ask concernedly "Brother, were you crying?"

"I knew he grieved, but I did not know it ran so deep . . ." Mike told her dad his muzzle lowering before he looked back up, and said with seriousness "Nate, I don't think he really is a Voice; I think he is someone, and something else. In the hearing of me, Erika, and Kiera as well as Evalyn he Spoke, but denied being a Voice, and his Howl . . . that howl was for one, and one alone, of all those he has lost."

"Dad, he is King of the Unliving. They have lost their hearts with their mates, but have hope they might live again. He made himself Unliving after going unclaimed, and no longer has that hope." She told him before asking Mike "Just how many did he really lose?"

"Made himself Unliving? That can be done? How?" Her dad asked her confusedly before saying to her "Given his own words, and that howl I am inclined to believe you."

Her dad then asked Mike "Who was that howl for then?"

"It can be done, he did it, and there was no one to stop him, but do not ask me how; I will not willingly spread that knowledge." She told her dad adamantly.

"He lost everyone, Luce. His mother, father, sister, cousins; everyone. How he lost them isn't something he remembers, but they are lost." Mike told her before with clear reluctance saying to her dad "That howl was for the adopted daughter he remembers clearest."

"Wait a minute. You're telling me he chose this, Lucy? Just for going unclaimed?" Larry asked quizzically "Who the fuck would choose this?"

"His going unclaimed is the second half of the story is all I know; what that story is he hasn't told me. The way he has talked though, I think you have it backwards. He chose to become Unliving then rejoined the living only to go unclaimed." Mike said to them defensively.

"He had cubs?" Her dad asked Mike raising his eyebrow, and it was a question that seemed Candice echoed.

"As he explains it, the way Lorelei has taken him in, he took in who he howled for, while his other daughter, and his son were fosters before they were adopted too." Mike answered.

"Backwards, or not he chose this?" Larry repeated his question clearly at a loss.

"What kind of wolf chooses that, and still becomes a father? Let alone one capable of that sort of howl." Candice asked.

"He doesn't like talking about it since for him it's all ancient history. He is more focused on starting over." Mike answered Larry.

"That is the question isn't it? What kind of wolf is he really? What is he made of?" She asked in response to Candice before adding what was her best guess "In his howl we heard the answer."

* * *

"So, where do you wish to start? This incubus is at your command." He said to her as he set her down, having carried her from her truck to her door for shits and giggles.

"How about I pour us a drink while you start dinner." Veronica suggested as she unlocked her apartment.

"As you wish. This pleases me as well. I could eat." He responded with a grin.

"So just how many wishes do I get?" Veronica joked with him as she opened the door, and walked into her apartment.

"I am not bound by any such constraints. How many wishes do you have?" He answered her before attempting to follow her inside only to stop at the threshold rigidly, and say to her "You will however have to invite me in."

"Are you serious?" She asked him not holding in a giggle before telling him "Get in here."

"It is common courtesy." He replied as if she were the one being ridiculous as he stepped inside, and closed the door behind him before following after her into the kitchen adding "I am nothing if not a gentle-daemon."

"Not too gentle I hope." She said to him looking back over her shoulder at him with her tail wagging enticingly as she asked him "So what other constraints do you have?"

"Only the bonds that keep me in this vessel, a metaphorical gleipnir." He answered her with a shrug adding "It is part, and parcel of incarnating for a daemon such as myself."

"That doesn't sound fun." She commented as she reached for a bottle of wine from a rack on her kitchen counter, and he got his own look at the space.

"Okay, I dig the doorless cabinets. No need to label what goes where, just look, and see." He told her with a grin as he made his way over to her fridge, and opening it said to her "If I am well fed I can work around it, and starved into unawareness it is weightless, but between those two points it can be a pain."

"Fed, and starved? For chi right, vampyr?" She asked him as she moved around him going for glasses.

"Yeah. Though most other psychic vampires do not so strongly fall into the stereotype slash archetype I do by dint of my nature. They can make use of other sources more easily, and are not necessarily limited like I am." He said to her matter of factly.

"Limited? By your _Gleipnir_?" She asked before there was the dull pop of her uncorking the bottle.

"No, by chi level. With enough chi I can do what they can absorbing chi from nature around us, or general crowds, and at a distance. Such as I am now I would still need to make physical contact with you, and starved into unawareness like I was that particular aspect would be worse." He told her as he pulled out the leftover roasted chicken from the local supermarket he found, adding plainly "It wasn't for nothing Lucy said what she did about turning me on."

"You get bitey, huh?" Veronica asked as she filled their glasses.

"Hehe, that's actually a really good way to put it." He couldn't help chuckling at her observation as he set the chicken on the counter then went back into the fridge for the bottle of soy sauce he'd spotted in the door.

"So how often do you need to do it? Feed, that is?" She inquired conversationally as she took a sip from her glass as she passed him his.

"Mmm, such a lovely blood color . . . ooh, and blackberries . . ." He commented as he sniffed at the wine, appreciating it before he took a drink then answered her "Back when I was well fed? About bi-weekly."

"It is a blackberry port." She told him amusedly before asking him "How about right now?"

He took another quaff savoring the blackberry flavor before telling her "Right now . . . well, I'm going to give you what you want, and take what I need in the process; it is a fair trade, yes?"

"So you are hungry? Right now?" She said with curiosity, her tail wagging as she moved to the other side of the kitchen to give him room while she watched him.

"For dinner, yes." He answered her setting his glass down before he got into the lower cabinet where he spied the lidded pot, and pan he would need to realize the idea that had struck him.

"And for chi?" She asked more specifically raising her eyebrow at him.

Setting the pan over the larger burner on the stove, and taking the pot to the sink he filled it to the six cup waterline along the inside before answering her as he got it going to boil "Well, yes and no. Strictly speaking, having fed on Lorelei and Evie a few days ago, no. However, with where I'm going to be for the next few months, the rate at which I use up my reserves is going to increase; I might not have the chance to feed again until after I graduate. I am not looking forward to starving again, but thems the breaks."

"Hmm, so you've fed on both of them?" Veronica asked him before saying "That makes sense."

"I've been lucky small as they are, that with how often they want me to use my skill with my tongue or my paws I've been able to improve both their chi levels, and the quality of their chi, but still due to the simple fact that a smaller vessel naturally holds less I have had to be careful with what I did take. Let's just say that between having to use such restraint, and Kiera's enticements, I've got a lot of tension built up that is going to get taken out on you. I would say sorry, but you want me to fuck you, and in this regard it's your lucky night." He explained to her freely, having trusted her so far and not been let down, as he put the lid on the pot and got the pan heating then went about taking apart the chicken with the meat going into the pan until all that was left was bones.

"My lucky night, huh?" Veronica asked cheekily before adding after another sip of wine "I mean I get to watch a sexy beast fix me dinner like he owns my kitchen which is certainly nice; what exactly are you making anyway?"

"Let me put it to you like this Veronica. You had better start with those fangs, and come at me with everything you've got 'cause once we get started I'm not going to stop until you are satisfied." He told her as he got into the fridge for butter, and one of the cupboards for brown sugar then eyeballing it got a few tablespoons of the butter and soy sauce in with the chicken as well as a decent sprinkle of the brown sugar before answering her "Something simple that you happened to have all the ingredients for."

"Is that a promise?" She asked him.

"It's a guarantee." He responded turning to look her in the eye before grabbing a rubber spatula to give the chicken a stir as he eyed the water that had yet to reach a boil.

Hearing her move, and thinking she was approaching he turned back to Veronica only to see her tail disappear out of sight at which he asked "Where you going?"

"To make a do not disturb sign for my door, and then duct tape it there." She answered from the living room.

"Okay." He responded back with a laugh as he turned back to what he was doing thinking to himself ' _The watched pot never boils my motherfucking ass._ '

There wasn't much for him to do, but wait as the chicken began to saute in the sauce that would caramelize around it, and give it the occasional stir. Once the water did boil he got into the airtight canister of rice that was on the counter, and put three cups into the water. He couldn't help grinning when he heard Veronica actually using duct tape, and if not for being quite so covered in fur he would've suggested they have _fun_ with it. While slightly disappointed by that realization it didn't quite score another tally on his mental score sheet for the advantages of a human form over a canine one.

"What's got you grinning?" She asked him, her paw work done, as she returned for her glass, and the bottle.

"The fact that my tongue is as long as it is." He answered her with canine advantage number one in his book before not so much licking his muzzle as sticking his tongue out one side of his mouth then letting it curl over the bridge of his snout to show off it's length.

"I am now very glad I took you home with me." She told him as she walked to her kitchen table her glass in her left paw, and the bottle in her right adding with her tail fanning behind her "While a few bitches would call you gross for doing that several others would start lifting their tails."

"That's sort of the point. Separating the lambs from the goats." He told her before, unable to resist, he joked with her darkly "Come here little lambies, the big bad wolf is only going to lick you, not _eat_ you like those nasty tasting goats say."

"Hahaha, ah my gods, you're horrible." Veronica laughed mirthfully at him.

"It's true though, lamb is more tender, and goat is too boney." He told her, but had to stop himself from talking about his less than stellar experiences with goat curry; he was thankful when she didn't really catch his abrupt stop, or at least didn't mention it if she did.

"Will you stop." She said to him with another laugh as she shook her head repeating "More tender. You're bad you know that."

"That's what the sheep said." He responded adding "I'm the big baad wolf."

"You did not . . ." She started to say before she started laughing so hard she actually whined a bit.

Nervous about the landmine he'd nearly stepped on he simply let her get her laughter out while he with his silence backed away slowly from that particular bouncing betty.

"Ah . . . I can't believe you . . ." She told him with a sigh as she regained her breath before a last giggle escaped her then she added "You really went there about lambs, and goats."

"Why not? I was joking." He told her before asking rhetorically "Now eating you on the other paw?"

"So you're not into caprids, but you are into cats?" She responded curiously.

"Well, really, I can't say I've met any to really know." He told her thankful he had escaped the minefield before turning back to the chicken which was starting to get good, and adding "To be honest with you I do think deer does are sexy, at least from behind, but in general I am probably going to pursue fellow preds more often than any prey. I am a superpredator after all who very much enjoys the fang, and claw."

"Huh, fang and claw?" Veronica mused telling him "I've heard of bite, and scratch, but that's a new one."

"Hehe, bite and scratch are the starter instructions." He responded amusedly his tail wagging behind him as he turned around to get a plate from the cabinet where they were for the chicken that would soon be done.

"David." Veronica said to him as he stood in front of the stove, and he could hear the wine taking effect "This is the sort of mate you would've been, isn't it. I don't understand how any bitch even only worth half her fur would ever not claim you if she had the chance."

"Maybe it's me." She continued before killing her glass then refilling it "Call me old fashioned, but you're not just a big strong alpha Mr-Pick-Up-A-Bitch-Cause-I-Can; you're the kind of male who can still kill a chicken with his bare fangs, and then cook it too."

"We might be able to choose our parents before we incarnate, but that's a soul to soul broader picture sort of thing. We don't get to choose if we're rich, or poor, or how lucky we'll be in getting opportunities to improve our lives if at all." He told her taking a healthy swallow from his own glass before asking her as he set it back down "On a scale of one to ten for attractiveness where would you rate me?"

"Nine." She answered him almost automatically.

"Okay, and in general how would other she-wolves rank me?" He asked her giving the chicken a stir then going back to his wine.

"At least an eight. Seven if they're snooty cunts." Veronica told him.

"Uh-huh, well let me tell you up until I woke up in the middle of the woods a month ago, as far as I remember anyway, I was more like a three." He responded setting his glass down then plating the now done chicken before adding "I'd have put myself at a five, but my sexual marketplace value was a joke, and that's just how those particular dice rolled; no D-twenty for me. As far as Special stats, I had sevens for Perception, and Intelligence with a five for Luck as my high stats."

"Okay, I'm not nerdy enough to really understand that last bit like Lucy, but no way in hell are you ever a five let alone a three." She said to him quite firmly adding "If the bitches around you made you think otherwise then they were all Cuntasaurus Rexes."

"It's not like it matters now. That was all in a galaxy far, far away a long time ago" He told her with a shrug his focus on the nearly done rice.

When it was done he turned off the stove then went for bowls to serve dinner in. Setting them on the counter next to the plate of chicken he had to open a couple drawers finding dishcloths, oven mitts, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap before he found the silverware. As it happened he found a stock of break-apart chopsticks, and grabbed them each a set.

"Really? You don't care?" She asked him with a mixture of skepticism, and concern.

"The strength I gained in managing to cut out half my heart; what feelings are there to hurt? Learning I hadn't succeeded in getting the whole thing out taught me the weakness, and my mistake, but that's all like so much dust in the winds of space." He answered as he filled the bottom half of their bowls with rice then buried it under the blackened flavor crusted chicken adding "I am not soulless, what emotions I do have are simply in the depths, and though the hole where my heart used to be interferes I manage to compensate enough that no one can tell. Don't ask me why I've taken leave of my sanity, and trusted now you too with that not just Lorie and Evie; I don't know why I'm trying now."

"What do you mean? How is it insane to trust us, and why wouldn't you try before?" She asked him downheartedly.

"I never really had anyone I could ever have talked too about these things that I have with you. My vampirism, my heartlessness, the struggles I face simply by existing that no normal person would ever have a concept of, let alone understand if I tried to explain it no matter how simple my words especially monotheists whose perspective is limited by the framework of their dogma." He told her as he picked up their sticks, and bowls then carried them to the table adding as talking about it helped him think "I am taking a chance because you fellow canines seem to understand how going unclaimed was the last nail in my coffin so to speak; and something in my hara tells me I can trust you."

"That doesn't make sense. You never had anyone to understand your heartlessness after going unclaimed, how wouldn't there be anyone in a family full of wolves? We understand that like few others." She said to him clearly pointing out what was to her an incongruity.

"Mostly it's the I cut out my fucking heart part of things, while the whole unclaimed part is secondary, and no there was no one who would've really understood either because they weren't wolves." He did his best to explain the difference, and managed to seamlessly omit that he hadn't been a wolf either as he set her bowl in front of her then gave her, her chopsticks before sitting in the adjacent chair so he could face her.

"That is just sad, and now your Pig Floyd reference not only makes sense, it is depressing." She told him as she broke apart her sticks adding "How did you even do that anyway, and for the love of the Mother why?"

"The lyric is ' _which one's Pink?_ ' Because they're Pink Floyd, and you can just stow your argument I ain't budging on that." He told her flatly as he too broke his sticks then added "To answer the why I can only ask you what's the point of feeling anything for someone who would never look at you twice that way? As for how? In having infinite willpower, and sufficient chi it was a simple thing to create a blade, raise it, and make the change."

"What do you mean that was your reason why?" She asked him as he got his sticks situated in his right paw, and went for a piece of chicken.

"I kept hurting myself with my own oversensitive nature, and was tired of the pain, so I solved my problem only to give myself a bigger problem." He answered her before noting her focus being on him instead of her food he told her "Taberu."

"What?" She asked him having not understood the word in Japanese.

"Eat. Never mind me. Or will you wound the chef by not telling him whether he succeeded, or not?" He told her a little pointedly.

"Why do you keep trying to sweep it all under a rug?" She asked him a little defiantly before she obligingly ate first, and thinking to himself ' _finally_ ' he took his own bite tasting for himself that the morsel in his mouth matched the flavor profile in his memory, and then some.

' _Canine advantage number two point five, superior sense of smell leads to completely different, and sometimes quite superior sense of taste._ ' He couldn't help thinking as he savored his bite of chicken on his tongue before swallowing it whole so he could answer her "There's no way in hell I can escape my past, or it's effect on me, but there is a really big gap between my last memory in California, and when I woke up in the woods; I have the _Mother_ of all second chances, and this future looks so bright I gotta wear shades."

He then added musingly "If you're not exaggerating ridiculously, and I really am attractive for a wolf, that is going to take some getting used to."

"David I wouldn't be exaggerating ridiculously if I told you to fuck me on this table because that's how good this is, and I would tell you that, but then I'd have to stop eating." She said to him seriously clearly enjoying what he'd prepared before asking him "What is the secret to your making this? I saw how few ingredients you used."

"A nonstick pan, and keeping an eye that once the sauce starts to caramelize it gets over all the chicken, and doesn't burn only blacken at best; eyeball ingredients to taste." He told her freely before suggesting since she'd passed the butterfly into his skull "If you are the kind of dirty bitch who wouldn't mind fucking on the kitchen table, perhaps you wouldn't mind starting in the shower. Believe it, or not us daemons love getting clean."

For emphasis he lifted his free left paw, and essentially kneaded the air.

"You keep talking like that, and I'm going to show you the wolf in the phrase wolf down your food, 'cause I'm a proud Fujoshi, but I actually want to enjoy this." She said to him slightly pouting before asking him conversationally "Where did you learn how to do that?".

"Hm, I think it will be I who shows you what a make-it-disappear-machine looks like; I am half sauvage after all, in the meaning of the word, not the english derivative it sounds like." He told her amused by her choice of words, before suggesting to her "You should ask Evie, or Lorie to share with you the video of me on auto."

He then answered her before taking another bite of the chicken which he was enjoying too "My mom once made chicken wings with a dipping sauce which I repurposed as more of a glaze. It's funny, the things I really remember from my past before the woods; what was that line in Watchmen? Even the grimy bits shine a little brighter?"

"It's The Watchmammals, and it's ' _Every day the future looks a little bit darker, but the past, even the grimy parts of it, well, it just keeps on getting brighter all the time_ '. That coming from the wolf who just said what was it 'Future's so bright I have to wear shades'?" She corrected him, and pointed out before saying "Sorry, comics are kinda my thing; I'm a freelance artist."

"Why are you apologizing?" He asked her reflexively before saying "Philosophically I prefer the star filled night sky to the sun ruled day; in the dark the light is more beautiful, whereas without darkness to balance it the light is blinding. In that vein, I am fond even of my bad memories, let alone the good ones I still have. It's not like my life was all that bad for what it was before, but there's no denying that this time I've got a different, and much better hand of cards in my paw."

"My turn to say sorry." He added with a grin as the wine he'd drank took him just a notch passed sober "Paw of cards in my paw; now that sounds weird, but oh well. I slip sometimes."

"Habit, I guess, since my being a comic nerd tends to turn off most males, well the ones that turn me on anyway." She responded before asking him in return "What're you apologizing for? The figure of speech used to be a handle of cards, ' _cause you get a handle on 'em in your paw_ ' as my grandpa always says."

"So that word isn't limited to just door handles? Thank you for enlightening me. It's a slip 'cause well . . . humans as apes have hands, and that's how I meant a hand of cards, the figure of speech I remember." He replied in explanation before telling her "And before you start with the obvious joke, no I wasn't beamed up, and probed, or got any mental implants."

"I was going to ask if you really buy into ancient astronaut theory, but okay you don't sound like you do, yet you think humans really existed?" She said to him curiously before getting another mouthful of chicken.

"Hang on a sec." He told her as he set down his sticks across his bowl, not sticking up like funeral incense though he was tempted to since it suited him, and went for his glass of wine back on the counter which he killed once he reached it then told her "There are more than four dimensions to reality, and quarks can be in two places at once. Somewhere in the multiverse there is an earth much like this one where there are actual humans. That it is a certainty to me is irrelevant, since ultimately to you, or anyone else born on this earth it is at best a possibility that cannot be totally ruled out. In physics such a thing as warp drive, or fold space is possible, just not with what we've got for a long time, and that's assuming we can keep what we've got, and not go back into a dark age."

"Okay, that argument, that they don't exist here, but that doesn't mean they don't exist elsewhere since we can't be the only sapient life in the universe, or as you say multiverse, makes a certain sort of sense I've never heard anyone really make before." She said to him before saying to him "Why don't you grab another bottle, and what makes you so certain about humans?"

"I don't think I've had enough wine to be willing to just tell you that. Mike already has struggled enough with my answer to that question, and that's to speak nothing of Evie who is slightly traumatized still by getting the unfiltered version thanks to our lawyer fuckin' cross examining me whilst under the influence." He told her as he did as she asked getting another bottle from the rack which happened to also be blackberry. Pausing to take a look at what else was there he noted a bottle of strawberry wine, and one of blueberry before saying to her as he walked back to the table " You should ask Lorelei to show you the sculptures I made, both of a human hand, and skull, as well as the one of the rough human face. I wouldn't mind a fellow artist's opinion, though be warned I am an amateur who is poor at replicating what I've seen outside of a written medium."

"What you've seen?" She asked him before offering him the already open bottle saying "Here kill this, while I open that."

"I have said too much. I like this poison, do not tempt me." He told her as he instead opened the bottle himself, a task made simple by the fact that the cork was only held in place by a bit of wire, and didn't require a corkscrew. After the satisfying pop of the cork coming off he added "They fall more under artist's impression than accurate recreation, and should be taken as such."

"Alright, I won't dig, but I will remember to have a chat with Lorelei." She said to him before taking another bite of food as he set the full bottle on the table between them then refilled his glass from the now almost empty bottle.

After taking a drink from his glass, he picked up his sticks then returned to his food, and when his mouth was quite full of both rice, and meat she asked him "So you weren't raised by wolves? What species were they?"

"No I wasn't, and I'd rather not talk about it further." He answered her once he'd swallowed what was in his mouth adding "I can imagine you're curious, but it's not that important."

"Not that important? No wonder you had a hard time of learning wolf etiquette on top of your amnesia. Now it's a surprise how well you've managed to get a handle on what you have." She responded disagreeing.

"It's not important because that person I was is dead now, and while I am still me fundamentally, the person I am and get to be now is different. I am in ways freer." He told her simply.

At that she was silent for a couple beats just looking at him which he feigned ignoring as he put a dent in his food.

"Were they feline? Is that why you have the thing for cats you do?" She asked him before emptying the first bottle into her half empty glass then setting it back on the table.

"No. In fact you could say cats were the only mammals I really ever scored with." He told her amused by her conjecture, and grinning to himself at the thought ' _Cat-girls are legit, and count._ '

He then countered her curiosity by saying to her "I thought you said you wouldn't dig?"

"You only ever had sex with felines, really?" She asked him before adding as her ears fell "Alright, no grave digging; I get it."

"In a manner of speaking, but that first has been erased." He responded telling her gratefully "Thank you, Veronica. Like I said, I'd rather look forward than backwards."

"So I'm going to be your first bitch?" She asked him, and he couldn't help grinning at her tail's wagging.

"Yes." He answered her simply.

"Hmm, then it _is_ my lucky night." She said to him enthusiastically.

"I should tell you now, I only have one condom on me; the rest of my stash is kinda upstairs." He told her since her parroting of his line made him think of it.

"Not a problem. I have a whole box." She responded assuringly.

"Cool." He commented before taking a drink of his wine, and mulling over the idea of adding blackberry jam to the glaze as the flavor profiles intermingled on his tongue.

"So you're anticipating needing more than one?" She asked him a little teasingly.

"At least two, or three. I told you I have a weakness for white fur, but I didn't get a chance to add I also have a weakness for smaller females. Though that may already be self evident given the noise complaint Lorie, and I got." He answered her before getting a healthy bite of rice.

"You sure have an alpha's confidence despite how . . . obviously wounded . . . you are." She commented with a degree of admiration before asking him "So, what? You are particularly weak against say a female like me?"

"I have faith in my soul; that is basic. My biggest issue with monotheism, or most theisms for that matter, is that people put their faith in an external entity instead of within themselves; the multiverse of probabilities is uncaring, and in that randomness is fair - god isn't listening, and that's just fine. Well, that and the whole limiting yourself for no reason with unnecessary rules." He explained with a shrug before telling her honestly, and a little enticingly "It was not for nothing that I told you your wish is my command."

"Anything I wish, and bite and scratch are the starter instructions?" She asked him with a one sided, and fangy grin as if she just wanted to hear him say the answer she knew he would.

"Within reason, and yes." He answered her simply before taking a drink of wine then asking her "So you're not just the landlord, you're an artist?"

"More like building manager, the owner gave me the job when my old room mate who had it before me, split." She corrected him before taking a sip of wine then continuing "I sort of followed my big brother here to the city. He was at ZSU on a military scholarship for engineering, while I came for the art department."

"Was it all they billed it as?" He inquired curiously adding "I've never been to college. The idea of loans, and debt always made me hesitate, even with financial aid being an option."

"I wasn't bad out of high-school, but I learned a lot, and am a whole hell of a lot better now at what I love to do." She answered him her tail wagging happily behind her before she returned to her bowl.

He followed her example getting a couple more bites in before asking her "How do you like working on commision?"

"I don't mind it, but I certainly didn't tell Mr. Silverstone no when he asked if I wanted Linda's job." She responded honestly adding "Thanks to relatively stable tenants, excepting you, this place is easy to manage, and work stays steady thanks to my Pawtron. Any big business work I get funds my retirement trust."

"And you still find time for personal projects? Sounds like you've got a pretty impressive set up." He replied admiringly before joking with her "Oh, yes. I'm quite unstable. And _you_ let me _in_."

"My schedule keeps itself pretty evened out, I am certainly happy with the way things are going for me." She said to him adding amusedly "Oh, no. I let in a big bad wolf, what am I to do?"

"I would suggest letting me fix you for dessert, but that's just me." He told her with a grin adding "I mean, you seem to have enjoyed dinner so far."

"You are not wrong, half the fun in being dirty is getting clean, and I am most definitely enjoying my dinner." She responded pausing to take a drink from her glass before saying to him "I thought I told you to mind what you say, or else I'm going to want to rush through a perfectly good meal."

"I made no such promises, or guarantees." He told her before suggesting "We could make a race out of it; you would lose though."

"Would I? I can do to a chicken what you can." She responded testingly.

"Oh, really? Wanna give it a go then?" He replied curiously.

"Maybe, once I'm done savoring the meat." She said to him with a grin as she made a show of not chewing, and no doubt sucking, on the next bite of chicken she took.

"Well, you can take your time. I am done with civility." He told her plainly before lowering his sticks in his right paw, and using his left to simply lift the bowl to his muzzle effectively allowing him to use his muzzle shape to its advantage as well as somewhat shield from view his fangs as he did so.

As he lowered the now clean bowl from his muzzle, licking his lips, Veronica gave him a frustrated growl at which he looked at her curiously with a raised eyebrow.

"You obviously weren't trying, but holy hell was that sexy. In a very Kanaan the Barbarian way." She answered his unvoiced question adding "Like forget this food, please fuck me now."

"Take your time. We have all night." He told her sagely adding "With Mike coming here at like oh-four-hundred saying fuck sleep, and getting a couple shots of espresso from Starschmucks on the way is more economical."

"Maybe I want leftovers." She responded setting down her sticks before saying "We start now, we can get a cat nap in."

"You saw what I used, you can make more later, though I won't argue with you if that is what you really want." He replied putting the ball back in her court.

At that Veronica got up, and moved over to his side where sticking her muzzle in his left ear she said seductively "I want you to follow me."

"As you wish; lead the way." He responded huskily with a nod.

With a satisfied smirk she turned, and fanning her tail at him enticingly headed towards her living room. He in turn grinned pleasedly when he surprised her with how fast he caught up to her, having needed only three steps out of his chair to reach the end of her tail. After her initial slight jump she increased her pace with surety, and he easily matched her stride while keeping his distance.

Just as she was reaching the hall that led to the bathroom, and bedrooms of which one smelled particularly of paint while the other smelled of her, he let her gain enough distance so that when she reached the bathroom doorway he only had to bend over a little to catch then end of her tail with his tongue.

The meep of surprise that got out of her as well as the hitch in her step pleased a deep primal part of him, and he did not hide his low growl in satisfaction.

Her anticipatory whine in response followed by the way her scent spiked in arousal nearly made him stop in his tracks as he opened his mouth to exhale while he inhaled sharply flooding his nostrils with the scent of her. With another low growl he moved forward, and going a little lower managed to get a good two thirds of the underside of her tail just as she was about halfway to the shower.

"Do you know what that does to a girl?" She asked him when she reached the shower, and he could hear a twinge of her country accent.

"Yes." He answered her in a husky growl adding "That's why I like doing it."

"If you want to do it again you should get naked." She said to him as she used the act of turning on the shower to move so she faced him.

He did not need telling twice, first reaching behind him to the base of his tail to undo the button that held his pants up over his tail then grabbing the bottom of his shirt, and lifting it over his head letting it drop behind him. He then undid his belt, and the front of his pants letting them fall with his boxers before stepping out of them.

"You just do not disappoint, do you?" She asked him curiously, her gaze clearly well below his muzzle, commenting "I wouldn't have minded a bit of a show, but you mean business don't you?"

"Cooperate, and I will get these clothes off of you." He said to her suggestively as he stepped towards her, and lightly grasped the hem of her shirt.

"Cooperate? I want you to strip me." She responded raising her arms over her head.

"Good." He told her his growl coming back as he lifted her shirt up revealing she hadn't been wearing a bra.

Once her head was out of her shirt, and with it still around her paws which he held above her he used the opportunity to lick her muzzle, and then the underside of her throat. In response she pressed herself against him, and turned her head to lick him back managing to get his right ear.

Before she could fully discover, or exploit that weak point he moved his head back so he could bring his muzzle to hers. He had barely put any pressure into the kiss, and she was already opening her muzzle inviting him in as she rubbed against him provocatively. Unhesitatingly he opened his own muzzle deepening their embrace while he shifted his paws so his left still held her paws above her head while he tossed her shirt behind him with his right.

Releasing his grip on her, he pulled away from her breaking their kiss only to lick her muzzle before he got on his knees, and reached around her for the back button of her jeans. That contrivance eliminated he ran his paws through her fur up her ribs while he licked her stomach to tease her before he went for the front button, and the zipper.

After pulling her pants down to her ankles, having gotten his muzzle in position in the effort, he pressed his nose against her sex inhaling through her simple blue cotton underwear that were already becoming damp. From her scent alone he could feel his body in reaction divert blood flow, and he didn't resist his desire to use the full length of his tongue to caress her managing to reach her tail in the effort.

Growling as he savored the taste of her he got her underwear down swiftly before gently grabbing first her right ankle to lift her leg out of the rest of her clothes. Growling back at him then tapering into a whine she obliged him.

"I could've stepped out of my pants." She told him managing to find her words once she was completely naked adding with a giggle "I can't believe you really meant cooperate."

"Little do you know, that 'Make me naked' is one of my favorite commands. It is usually followed by 'Rub me down'." He responded giving her a long lick from the inside of her right thigh up to her sternum as he got back on his feet then reached out with his right paw to test the water lest it be completely cold if he picked her up then put her back up against the wall which he was tempted to do.

"Is it now?" She asked him before she stepped backwards over the low lip of the shower into the spray partially shielded by his paw.

"Yes." He told her lowering his arm, and getting in after her as she adjusted the gauge since the water was coming to temperature.

"What if I want to do a little rubbing of my own?" She asked him fondling his testicles while she occupied the spray, and he closed the shower curtain.

Stilling her paw, even though he enjoyed the attention, he told her "I'd rather not have my knot inflate too soon; I think you'll agree."

"Oh, really?" She asked him challengingly before she moved forward running her paws up through his back fur to his shoulders then digging in with her nails, and wrapping her right leg around his hip effectively lifting herself into him.

With one paw around her ass, and the other around her back holding her up he turned and pressed her into the wall bringing his fangs down to her neck biting her with enough force to elicit the moans he got out of her.

Digging her nails in deeper she bit him back grinding her sex against his. He went along with it freely until his member was completely unsheathed, and his baculum threatened to do its job. At that point he released her from the latest bite he'd sunk into her ruff, and in a growl told her "Down."

As he moved back, and loosened his grip on her she got the idea, but looked at him confusedly. Once she was on her own hindpaws he coaxed her over to the wall opposite the shower head, and after genty pushing her back against it he got on his knees telling her "Ceiling."

"Ceiling?" She asked him, but he was already showing her the answer.

Getting his paws under her rear he lifted her up until her sex was level with his muzzle, and with a self-satisfied gowl he flicked out with his tongue giving her a teasing lick. At the very feminine giggle he got out of her he couldn't stop his tail from wagging into the wall with a dull wet thump before he reached out with his tongue again a bit slower this time.

"Hello, ceiling, and noise complaint one." She said with another giggle before he licked her again starting with the back of his tongue, and ending with just the tip at which she slammed her paw into the wall saying "Nggh… Good Wolf, yes!"

Such simple words said with clear pleasure, and she stroked his ego like he had used his tongue to stroke her. Pausing for effect he held his muzzle just a few centimeters from her sex, and inhaled her scent only waiting a pawful of beats before with a devil's own grin, he stuck only the tip of his tongue past his muzzle, and writhed it purposefully at her entrance.

"Nnnggh . . . hah . . ." She whined then gasped before there was the distinct sound of her paw slamming with more force into the wall as her left leg which was over his right shoulder kicked reflexively.

Enjoying immensely her reactions to him merely getting warmed up he went back to giving her short teasing licks. When she tried squirming as she panted displaying her frustration he stilled her with a full length lick which she did her best to press her sex into making his cock throb before he again fluttered the tip of his tongue at her entrance.

"Ah, Fuck Yes!" She exclaimed wrapping her legs around his head forcing him forward.

In response to how she locked her ankles behind his head he first closed his mouth letting her shove his nose into her sex for him before he opened his mouth as wide as he could, and plunged the full length of his tongue inside her.

The first thing he noticed as her thighs muffled the almost yowl in pleasure that came out of her was perhaps the most obvious; since she was quite larger than a vixen more of his tongue fit inside of her. Where it had almost become routine to feel vixen womb with the tip of his tongue he could swear he was just an inch short of that same reach within Veronica, and it niggled him just a little.

As her legs tightened around his head he reflexively increased the pressure of his fangs against her, and he couldn't help growling at her beginning to move his tongue. When she only steadily increased the force of her legs around his head he did his best to relax, having learned just how sharp his teeth really were thanks to that chicken, but she didn't stop until he was nearly biting her outright.

When she finally did relax her grip with her legs he used the opportunity to pull back his head enough that he could really start thrusting with his tongue which he hadn't been able to do with her trying to see just how deep she could force his tongue.

As he got his thrusts with his tongue into a rhythm she relaxed further her heavy panting interspersed with whines in pleasure. At least until she started reaching her climax, and her legs tightened back around his head as he felt her inner muscles start clenching, but he was ready for that this time. Ahead of her forcing him to bite her, and remembering how much she'd apparently wanted he increased the pressure with which his fangs were against her then held there.

It wasn't long after that, that even through her thighs muffling the sound he heard as much as he felt her orgasm, and he savored the way her sex seemed to want to pull his tongue in and keep it there.

Once her muscles did relax though he lowered her gently to her hindpaws, but she merely slid further down into a sitting position with her feet going between his legs.

"You're not hard anymore." She commented with a slight frown in her voice as she panted.

"He's taking a nap on the bench. He'll wake up when it's his turn at bat, don't worry." He responded assuringly.

"He's waiting to tag in huh?" She responded with a chuckle before asking him "Just where did you learn how to do that?"

"What do you mean where? It seems the proper way." He replied giving her a shrug.

"Well, nobody has done that better." She told him satisfiedly before asking him "Did you just make a Dune reference?"

"I was not trying to, Bond girl." He answered her with a grin adding "Next to the Lord of the Rings it's one of my favorite series. In fact I'd put Dune as my second favorite book after The Silmarillion."

"Hehe, talking about books in the shower; how stimulating." She pointed out with a giggle before reaching for his member with both paws.

"Why not?" He asked her leaning in to kiss her while she cupped his testes with her left paw, and stroked his sheath with her right.

Flicking out her tongue to lick both his lips, and hers she got him to respondingly reach his tongue to meet hers only for her to trap it in her mouth sucking on it which sent a fresh wave of blood to his now rising again cock.

"You are going to switch our positions." She told him after she released his tongue.

"Oh, am I?" He asked her before he moved forward to grab her under her ass again, though this time from around her legs instead of from between, then he lifted her enough so that when he turned them both so his tail would go where hers was she would come to a rest in his lap.

When he did turn them, managing it in one fluid motion, the one part of his plan he hadn't thought through presented then solved itself; which position to hold his tail so he could sit comfortably. As it happened his tail curled between his legs reflexively, and once he was on his rear it limpy flopped between his legs in contrast to his member which stiffly pressed against his stomach underneath her warm sex.

After a satisfied sort of hum as she gently rocked her hips against his she moved back telling him quite simply "Stay."

"You know, I wasn't done with you." He stated in response eying her with already an idea in mind for what her intent was.

"Oh?" She asked him with a smirk before she moved down licking his erect member when she reached it.

After giving her a moment to think she'd won, and so he could enjoy the view, he leaned forward curling with ease till his head was next to hers, and with a crooning sort of growl he answered her "Yes."

When she simply licked him again he licked her muzzle at which she stopped to look at him a little awkwardly, and ask "I thought I told you to stay?"

"And?" He asked her back throatily as he licked her muzzle again.

"Right, you're bi." She said seemingly more to herself then asked him curiously "So, you're going to help?"

"No." He told her huskily adding "Do I need to?"

"No." She answered defensively trying to hide a protesting whine as the heat from the water caused her spiking scent to bloom like a mushroom cloud.

"Do you want me to?" He asked her unable to not gowl throatily when part of that mushroom cloud reached him, adding suggestively "We could do it together."

"No." She said to him this time with some firmness before she pushed his head back telling him "You stay. I'm not going to just let you do what you just did, and not reciprocate."

"Alright." He responded leaning back against the wall relaxing as he watched her.

She likewise watched him, probably to make sure he stayed the thought of which made him grin, before breaking eye contact to lick him again. This time though she showed her own grasp of canine advantage number one as she got his scrotum, and his shaft in a single full lick.

From there she further licked his testicles as she began stroking his length with her right paw, and he did not contain the growls in pleasure that the warmth of her tongue elicited. When she moved up licking his knot, though the effect was not nearly as acute as it was with Lorelei's, or Evie's, smaller tongues, he whined for her all the same since her larger tongue was no less stimulating.

The reaction she got out of him seemed to please her if the way she growled back at him was anything to go by. When he felt her tongue wrap around his length he couldn't help closing his eyes, and growling as he relaxed backwards his head thudding into the wall.

As she got going, clearly into it, he growled again throatily mostly to let her know that he very much enjoyed what she was doing. If he was capable of more than the primal vocalizations

he was reduced to by her ministrations he'd have freely admitted to her that what she was doing felt better than when he did it for himself. The thought occurred to a swiftly murdered part of his mind to joke with her that it was only due to him being unable to also rotate his head like an owl to achieve the same position over his cock which she enjoyed.

It was too late though for him in the wake of that thought, and it took all of his willpower to not laugh, and then have to explain what was so funny. When he tightened his abs in his effort to stifle his amusement she got the idea to not only pick up her pace, but rub his knot harder with the paw she had wrapped around it. In the panting that ensued his laugh found a modicum of release which he was grateful for before he began feeling her efforts reach fruition.

Leaning forward again bringing his muzzle beside hers he said to her "If you don't want to swal..."

Her response before he could finish the thought was to use her free right paw to close his muzzle then push his head back.

It wasn't a hint that was lost on him, and he leaned back again with a grin amused by her response; at least until he started panting again.

"You want it . . . ng . . . here it comes . . ." Was the only verbal warning she got before growling in pleasure he ejaculated.

Panting lightly as he came down he could feel her tongue undulate as she swallowed, and he couldn't help looking at her with a grin both out of having enjoyed her prowess, and in anticipation for the real fun to begin in its due course.

"Liked that did ya?" She asked him, after she released him, with sultry self satisfaction that made his still hard member visibly twitch.

"Definitely." He answered simply adding complementingly "You've scored a point for She-wolves against vixens."

He then asked her more seriously "Can you stand?"

"I scored points?" She asked him curiously before telling him "Yes, I can stand."

"Good." He responded before tucking his hind legs under him, and rising then offering her a paw adding "I am going to wash you, now."

"Are you now?" She queried back teasingly as she took his paw, her attention more on his yet to deflate member than the rest of him as she rose onto her feet.

"Yes. Cooperate." He replied cordially with a nod.

"I can do that." She said to him looking up into his muzzle with her tail wagging as she wrapped her paw around his member.

"I told you that I wasn't done with you, and I meant it." He responded as he wrapped his right paw around hers gently, but firmly keeping her from stroking him, and leaning into her added "We're not just going to waste the water."

"So what _do_ you want me to do?" She asked him teasingly as she pressed into him not letting him go.

"Behave." He told her throatily with a slight grow adding "You will enjoy this."

"Alright, but only if you prove your words." She responded releasing him, and moving back a partial step.

Merely raising an eyebrow at her challenge as he easily released her paw he then raised his left paw to her right ear, and began kneading just under it. As she turned into the attention leaning her back against the wall she exposed her throat, and he took the opportunity to curl around her sinking his fangs into the left side of her neck just above her shoulder.

From there he nibbled up her neck to her ear which he licked before telling her "You need to stay on your feet."

He then pulled her into him as he moved back further turning her so her back was against his chest, and with his muzzle as close to her right ear as he could manage he added his voice deepening "Relax."

"You _are_ a demon." She responded breathlessly as she leaned against him a little longer before she straightened loosely.

"Really? Took you this long to figure out?" He asked her teasingly before adding as he reached for the bottle of shampoo "Wait till you see what's next."

"I will bite you." She told him half-heartedly then added enticingly "Show me then."

Instead of responding to her verbally he simply got a good amount of the shampoo which had a pleasing mint odor in his paw then setting the bottle down he rubbed his paws together before starting with her shoulders. Where he had merely been using his paw pads to knead her ears as he got into her fur he put his nails into the effort as well as used them to lightly scratch through her pelt.

No sooner had he started then she was lowering her head, and arching her neck as she pressed back into his touch. From her shoulders he first moved up to the back of her neck getting a growl out of her both in pleasure, and in irritation as she braced herself against the wall with her left paw. Before she could get too comfortable, and need support again he moved down to her arms starting with her right then moving to her left taking the time to make sure the lather spread properly, and got down to her undercoat.

"You know, I think you've earned two points for she-wolves versus vixens." He commented to her thoroughly enjoying his task, and the way she so clearly broadcast her own enjoyment via her tail which had lifted up between his legs, and was wagging.

"I have? Yeah, what did you mean by I scored a point in the first place?" She asked him curiously though her words came out in a relaxed drawl as he finished with her left wrist, and moved back to her shoulders to begin his way down.

"Point one, larger muzzle and tongue. Point two, larger form, more fur that requires grooming." He answered her simply as he sat on his haunches in order to better get her lower half, and her tail slid out from between his legs in the process.

"Okay, I get the first one, but what do you mean about more fur?" She asked him in response.

"Think about what I'm doing, how I'm doing it, and the size difference between you, me, and an adult vixen." He told her as he moved forward bringing his muzzle to slightly nip at her left side just under her ribs before he leaned back, and began lathering up her lower back as he had the rest of her.

"Mmm . . . so there's more of us to do whatever technique it's called that you're doing right now? Do you really like doing this that much?" She asked him humming in pleasure her tail in its wagging colliding with his neck.

"Your tail needs to wait its turn, you should send it the memo." He suggested to her half-jokingly before answering "I love doing this, and while doing this for vixens is its own fun, doing this for you and ostensibly other bitches is in its ways more enjoyable."

He then musingy added "If only we had the space for you to be on all fours, ane me to be like this next to you, this would be that much better."

"That is a good idea." She said to him as she dropped down to all fours causing the shower spray to start rinsing off part of her fur, and essentially presenting him her tail.

"Really?" He asked her adding as her change in orientation did nothing to impede his progress washing her "Okay, but you better hold still."

"I can do that . . . mmm..." She said to him before his kneading of her backside had her humming in pleasure.

He worked his way down the outside of her hind legs before taking care of the inside of her thighs completely ignoring the way the back of his paws brushed against her sex as he did so. He also ignored the way she fidgeted from what wasn't him teasing her, at least on purpose, as he moved both paws up to her tail. There was enough lathered shampoo left to properly cover her tail, and he showed it the same attention he had the rest of her. Keeping it still with his left paw he gently massaged in the shampoo with his right section by section. When he was done because he could he grasped the base of her tail between his paws, and using the same kneading slash clawing action he had with the rest of her body he worked his paws down to the tip of her tail. He then leaned forward so he could, using the full reach of his forelegs, genuinely scratch along her back, and her sides.

"You can fuck me now." She said to him as he pressed against her managing to reach the base of her neck before she lowered her front end.

"Patience, Veronica." He responded as he leaned back grasping her tail by the base with a grin.

"Really?" She asked him somewhat incredulously before adding more curiously "When you said your skill with your paws, was that what you meant?"

"We haven't even reached the bed." He replied before answering her "Sort of. I do full body massages, you're getting the bath variant."

"Who says we need to?" She responded clearly throwing it out there before telling him with some chagrin "You know you're a tough act to follow, how the hell could I possibly return that . . . amazing attention in kind?"

"Not gonna fuck you without a condom, lo siento linda senorita." He replied frankly then told her "You don't have to. I am easy to please."

"Ugh, Not Fair." She told him in reluctant acquiescence before asking him "So what are you saying?"

"Just give the one spot I can't reach between my shoulders a rough scrub, and I'll be happy. Then we can get out of here, and hit the bed." He answered her adding "I'm a simple male."

"Would you mind letting my tail go so I can turn around?" She asked him simply.

His response was simply to do as she asked as he backed up to the end of the shower giving her room. After she got herself facing him, with the spray hitting her shoulders, she shook herself to get some of the water off her muzzle before she looked up at him locking her eyes on his.

"I want you to be honest with me, David. Are you serious that little amount of effort on my part would be enough to satisfy you when you just put that much effort into satisfying me in ways I didn't know I wanted?" She asked him intently with a clear undertone of disbelief.

"If you knew how much it pleased me to do that, and how much more it pleases me to hear you say I did well, you would understand." He told her adding with a shrug "Besides, I like it rough, and simple."

"Why don't I believe you?" She asked him saying "I feel like you're hiding something."

"What could I possibly hide, in that regard, and why?" He responded raising his eyebrow at her confusedly.

"Nearly everything related to you has a fucked up angle. What's the one with this?" She said to him with a frown clearly puzzled before adding "If I had to guess you're conditioned to giving, but never receiving."

At her words he couldn't help saying reflexively from the same part of him that had snapped at Lorelei with bared fangs in a near hiss " _I don't care if anyone wants to use me, I will use them back when I sink my fangs in them_."

"You _Are_." She said to him adding clearly disappointed to have been correct "That's just sad."

"I was lucky to be used in the first place. Those were the good times, I was well fed, and strong; well in the beginning anyway . . . later things were too sporadic . . ." He told her defensively before shaking his head, and saying "It all means nothing now."

"Does it all mean nothing? The past that has made you what you are?" She asked him as she used the wall as a brace to get standing again, giving him the universal paw signal to wait a moment as she did so, before turning to redirect the water spray further downwards.

She then turned back towards him, and sitting on her haunches gestured with her paw as she told him "Come here, and give me your back."

"I can't escape it, or deny it, so I won't try, but compared to how different things are for me now; it's all irrelevant." He said to her as he obligingly turned around then scooted back into her.

"How can that be when it still so clearly affects you?" She asked him as he heard her go for the shampoo bottle, and squirt some in her paw before there was the distinct click of her closing the bottle.

"Because this life I have now is drastically different from the one I had before. The very fact that I'm here in _your_ shower, _you_ a beautiful female, is proof. That's saying nothing of the way things are between me, Evie, and Lorelei let alone Kiera; if this is heaven I don't want to leave, and I will murder in cold blood to stay - even engage in predation if I have to." He did his best to answer her, meaning every word.

"You really weren't kidding, it is going to take you some time to get used to just how sexy a beast you are." She said to him as she started rubbing the shampoo into his shoulders clearly trying to be optimistic despite the depressed tone of her voice, adding as if his self-deprecating attitude was catching "I really am average for an arctic bitch; just an artsy nerd the hot wolves laugh at not fix me fucking dinner, and then some."

"Don't you fucking start, Veronica; I will fuck that nonsense out of you once you are done. Please do not stop." He said to her doing his best to be as stern as he meant while he tried to move further back into her reach already enjoying how her larger paws covered more surface adding "You are an easy seven to any wolf whose balls have dropped, and you are an eleven to me, but that's 'cause I am a perv with weaknesses. Need I remind you I've had to essentially learn, not relearn, the civilized half of being a wolf; which is to say it's easier for me to be blunt about our base instincts. Hunt. Kill. Feed. Mate. Repeat, with the occasional Play tossed in."

"I won't lie my luck improved a bit in college, but that was with other nerds like me." She told him as she adjusted her paws, and began using her nails to scratch as she further lathered the rest of his back adding "Not even my last boyfriend is anywhere near your level; you might as well be fuckin' Fabio."

"Okay, No. Just, No. Do not compare me to him. I am not nearly that suave, and not nearly . . . just no." He responded adamantly as he tilted his head back as he enjoyed her ministrations.

"You know what I mean." She told him exasperatedly before adding "He doesn't have the same primal allure you do . . . he's sexy to look at, and knows how to use it, don't get me wrong, but it's not the same."

"Now see I would say it's my barbarian coarseness, and it's the opposite of allure, let me tell you." He replied as he leaned left in wanting her to further scratch his right side which she did, and got his right foot thumping such that it could practically colliding with his chest.

Veronica just giggled before commenting "Maybe you're right barbarian, but that's just it. You lack the polish of even most country wolves, let alone city wolves, and that is real in a way that only stuck up posh cunts would ignore."

"You should visit California." He responded jokingly with a laugh.

"You mean Califurnia?" She asked back as she surprised him by moving so that she draped herself around his shoulders.

"Either way, it used to be the joke when I was in high-school. Bitches were too stuck up, and it was for the most part true." He explained adding "Things could be different now, and it's less true than it was, but they didn't nickname it Commiefornia for no reason."

"Communists are Cunts that's a verified fact. Socialists in general too they mean well, but pave the road to hell, and don't seem to realize it." She agreed with him before asking "If you're from there though, then how'd you turn out alright?"

"Couldn't you tell? I didn't." He deadpanned before he couldn't contain it, and snorted in amusement.

"Smart ass." She told him playfully biting on his ear without any real force before asking him "So you said something about fucking the sense out of me, can we get rinsed, and you show me what you meant?"

"I do believe it was the nonsense, but that'll do too." He agreed amusedly before suggesting "Why don't we?"

At that he moved forward slightly so that as he stood he could turn, and then offer out his paw to help her up, which he did, and soon enough they were both rinsed off with him pushing her into the spray first since she was smaller. Once he was rinsed, and had shut the water off, they took turns dropping to all fours to shake off as much water as they could and helping the other back onto their hindpaws. From there they moved over to the fur dryer which she turned up to the max before reaching out for his member.

As the air through the vent blew their fur skyward, and her left paw wrapped around his sheathe, he tilted her muzzle up towards his and kissed her. Lowering his paw as he deepened the kiss, which she returned, he pulled her closer into him rubbing his paws along her back. As they continued making out, and she stroked him, she lifted her right leg around the left side of his hip trying to lift herself higher, but he kept her still going so far as to growl at her frustratedly as his tongue writhed against hers. It was a growl she returned as her scent spiked straight to his nose thanks to the hot air, and she applied a bit more pressure to the base of his shaft effectively rubbing his knot through his sheath; a tactic that had him out, and ready, as if it were coin operated.

They were barely halfway dry when he broke their kiss, and pulled away from her slightly so he could pick her up over his shoulder. She let out a short yelp that was half surprise, and half excitement as he did so which put a grin on his muzzle as his tail wagged. With his member stiffly pointing the way he carried her to her room his right paw firmly on her ass keeping her in place.

After opening the door with his left paw he made sure he was well into the room before he turned for her bed which was easily visible with the ambient light carrying from the living room and kitchen.

"Condom." Was the only word he had for her as he deposited her on the mattress.

"Nightstand." She responded turning over onto all fours, and moving towards the head of her bed for the drawer she kept said contraceptives.

Nose first he followed her onto the bed, and tongue first he reached out to her sex when he got to her. He continued licking her leisurely as he heard her get into the drawer only stopping after he heard the drawer shut, and her tell him "Here."

Pulling his head back to see her, he sat on his haunches so he could take the square plastic package she gave him. It was a simple matter to tear open the thing, and get out the latex contents which rolled on with ease. The thing of note from his perspective anyway was how it was contoured to accommodate his knot which was obviously nifty.

Leaning forward for one last long lick of her sex he then moved forward his chest sliding along her back as he got his paws around her hips, and let his baculum do its job of getting his tip lined up with her entrance. He paused momentarily giving her fair chance to change her mind, and say 'no' only for her to move back into him with the first half of his length sliding in with ease. He did not hesitate to drive himself the rest of the way in, but this time he held still for a few different reasons.

Firstly, with her size advantage, she wasn't nearly as tight as Lorelei, and his cock twitched getting used to that. Secondly, thanks to the condom, the sensations of his cock inside her were muted; he could actually go longer without his knot getting in the way. At that realization he didn't restrain the feral growl in satisfaction that came out of him before he adjusted himself slightly then withdrew nearly completely before thrusting in again.

Veronica's reaction was to lower her front end to give him better access as she released a primal growl of her own. As he increased his pace, and got into a rhythm enjoying for once that this most natural of acts meshed up with what his memories had been, she growled again, and he was pretty sure he heard a 'Yes' somewhere in it.

Time became meaningless as his mind went blank for a stretch that he was brought out of by a particularly loud moan that he only heard the tail half of. As his focus came back to the present, and the way he was slumped over her he turned his head so he could bite what of her scruff he could reach.

"Ah! Fuck Yes!" She exclaimed with a whine in pleasure, and he could hear the tearing of her nails going through her sheet.

With an amused growl he responded by adjusting his bite down to her shoulder blades, and increased the pace of his thrusts. His effort reduced her to a heavily panting mess, and he took a measure of enjoyment in the sound though it was the whines she loosed as he found different spots along her back to nip, or gently bite that fueled him.

It could've been five minutes, or thirty for all he know or cared, since they had started when she asked him through her panting "Not complaining, but when are you going to knot me?"

He couldn't help his initial reaction which was to chuckle with the growl his voice had fallen into before telling her "Blame condom. Soon enough."

"Ahn . . . Alright . . ." She managed to respond after a particularly good thrust.

It wasn't much longer that he did feel his knot slowly begin to inflate, and in an effort to encourage it since he too wanted release, he picked up his pace further releasing the hold he'd had on her back so he could pant freely from the exertion.

Once it had swelled completely, and he felt them tie, a pleased growl crooned out of him followed half a step by Veronica's own. As he began the shorter thrusts that would take them both the rest of the way she turned her head back towards him trying to lick his muzzle. Moving to meet her he caught her tongue in his mouth before releasing it so he could turn his head to the left as he pressed further forward to get his fangs behind her back teeth.

Her tongue pressing back into his she growled into his mouth which made his cock further twitch, and as he growled back in response he pumped into her with what little more speed he could given their tie.

They both seemed to withdraw their muzzles in concert before Veronica bit her pillow to muffle how vocal she was when she came not that it helped much while he merely growled throatily before panting once his cock was done firing free.

When she sort of slumped forward, and he had no choice but to move with her, he took it upon himself to shift them into a more comfortable position getting his right leg around hers so that as he moved onto that side she would follow with a minimum of jostling; something that he knew from experience with Lorelei would be much appreciated.

"Was that really your first time fucking a bitch?" Veronica asked him like she knew, but just wanted to hear him say it.

"It really was." He answered her simply resting his jaw along the top of her head as they shared her pillow.

"Blame the condom, seriously?" She asked with a chuckle seemingly changing tack.

"The barrier deadens sensation. That was quite enjoyable." He answered her succinctly.

"Well I'm not going to argue with that, but that's 'cause I can't." She told him adding "I've gotten stuck with males who have had some stamina, but not like that; having to ask when exactly the sticking would happen was a first."

"Told you it was your lucky night." He responded smugly before adding conspiratorially "That was just round one."

* * *

" _Agent Danger this is Agent Archer." The voice on the other end of the line said as she answered the call from a Company number._

" _I've heard of you. You're in MamInt, right? Under Major Adama. To what do I owe this call?" She responded her curiosity piqued by the she wolf._

" _Well, I can't say for sure if I have a lead for you, but you were missing a grey-wolf in Tundra Town?" Agent Archer replied seeking confirmation._

" _I am. What have you got?" She responded quickly, hoping she didn't come off as quite as desperate as she felt._

" _I was at the local meeting for the Tundra Town packs. A stranger was introduced who mentioned being found naked in the woods. This stranger is apparently recovering from amnesia." Agent Archer told her succinctly before with a hint of fear adding "They say he is one of the Mother's own. I had no concept of what it would be like for a Voice of the Father to use a Howl in Grief; I hope I never hear such a thing again."_

" _Hmm, the wolf I'm missing was rumored to be a Voice, but he never Spoke, and you say this one Howled? You've got my attention, I'll keep an eye open, and an ear to the ground. What else can you tell me."_

" _His name is Ulfherz, and he's apparently heading into the ZPD. The Tundra Town Council of Alphas are officially recognizing him as a lone wolf." Agent Archer answered adding "He adamantly claimed a Well Known Vixen and her kit to be True Daughters he is now the recognized avowed Champion for."_

" _You're kidding?" She couldn't help asking because not even the wolves who dated foxes said that sort of thing, or just made that vow for a fox. As far as she knew, having known her fair share of wolves, few ever would so seriously vouch for another like that, and if that only with other wolves, and fewer still in this day and age were deep enough into the old ways to legitimately make that sort of vow, or the dozen odd others of similar import; and he had been not just heard, but recognized, and as a lone wolf on top of that._

" _I was close enough to hear him for myself. He must've said it three times that he'd fight who he had to to the death if they challenged him on their being True Daughters." Agent Archer told her, and she could hear the other canids honesty like a bell which only put the hook in her deeper._

" _Thank you for calling me with this. Even if this, Ulfherz, you said his name was? Proves to not be who I'm missing, maybe something will come of it." She said to the she-wolf on the other end of the line who at that made her goodbye._

 _Hanging up her desk phone, she dragged her paw across the touchpad of her keyboard bringing her monitor to life, and began her digging into this odd wolf who didn't immediately sound like John except for the almost abnormal soft spot for foxes which from the sound of it at least this wolf was a lot more open about than John had been._

* * *

"Okay, just a friendly word of advice." Mike said to him as he got in the passenger seat having tossed his duffle bag in the back seat.

"What's up?" He asked as he shut the car door.

"The fact you showered, and used some Scent-Away, help, but I can still smell Veronica in a way I never wanted to." Mike told him with a clear bit of humor.

"I got news for you Mike. We started in the shower; I didn't take another one." He responded with clear self satisfaction.

"Wait, so that's just the Scent-Away? How much did you use?" Mike asked him with surprise.

"I found a three pack of the bear size cans on sale, Lorelei, and Evie after they woke up decided to get liberal with the one I had opened. It's still more than half full." He answered him with a shrug.

"I bet they did." Mike commented as he shifted into drive, and got them going adding "So how did they take your, uh, taking care of Veronica?"

"Oh, they knew when I texted them that I was fixing her dinner, when we were still on our way back, how things would go. I submitted to 'decontamination' as it were, and marked them instead of saying goodbye; they're cool." He responded.

"I can smell that, you marked them, and got their scent on you, but it's not there as if they marked you back." Mike said to him honestly.

"Yeah, that's 'cause I didn't let them, and they were understanding of why." He replied catching the sidelong glance Mike gave him as he started reaching for the radio to turn the volume up a bit, but not enough to impede conversation, as "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns and Roses, or Rodents as they were known to everyone else, began playing.

"It could be misunderstood as a claim." Mike commented understandingly.

"Yeah, I am unclaimable, and I really can't afford for anyone to think otherwise." He agreed.

"You know it really . . . fucking sucks, that you such a young, and eligible wolf in your prime can say that so factually because it is that true." Mike said to him clearly struggling to fully articulate how he felt.

"Young, and eligible? You're making me sound like some sort of catch." He joked with a heart laugh.

"You know what I mean." Mike told him with a frown.

"Oh, I do. All I can do though is laugh at it, how I'm wounded beyond healing." He responded with a shrug.

"That's worse, you know." Mike said bitterly as he turned down the on ramp up to the expressway that led into Downtown which was the heart of the city before asking him with a mixture of concern and hesitation "Were you really the one who _did… that…_ to yourself?"

" _Did what?_ " He asked back pointedly with an idea of what Mike had meant, but wanting to hear him say it.

" . . . Cut it out . . ." Mike answered him in a half whisper, as if the thought behind the words was hard for him to utter.

"I did, but who talked?" He responded raising his eyebrow.

"No one talked, Lucy just guessed based on what you'd said . . . I . . . was hoping she was wrong." Mike told him honestly with a heavy sigh as they closed in on the speed limit of an even sixty miles per hour.

"Based on what that I said?" He asked with ardent curiosity; genuinely intrigued since anyone being that perceptive was completely new to him, though with Lucy being a vampyr like him it did figure that she'd catch on.

"You raised the blade, you made the change." Mike said to him morosely.

"How many people does that make now who know?" He asked more to himself with it clear in his tone how little he liked the news of such personal information spreading as he added "It was just Lorie, and Evie, and now Veronica who I'm trusting against my natural inclination; now you, and Lucy know the fact of it, but unlike those who've gotten it out of me you lack the why of it. Would you like to know why I did it?"

"I . . . I am sorry, David. I know how guarded you are, but it sort of came out . . . Nate, the High Alpha who is Lucy's dad, wanted to know more about you, and she and I were still kinda reeling from figuring it out; others overheard . . . " Mike told him regretfully before adding "I did my best to not say too much . . . you don't have to tell me, but I would like to know why . . . what drove you to do it."

"Mike." He said evenly before asking with deliberate care to sound neutral "Just what came out, who overheard, and what did they overhear?"

"We wolves understand heartlessness so well because if we lose a mate that is what happens to us, though like Lucy pointed out it is a wound that love can heal; the wolves who are so wounded we refer to as the unliving because they aren't dead, but they aren't really living either. Lucy referred to you as the King of the Unliving, and told her dad that you'd made yourself one of the unliving, but she wouldn't reveal to them how, only that it could be done and that you'd done it. She seemed to think you'd done it after you went unclaimed, but I told her she had it backwards since you said going unclaimed was the second half of the story." Mike answered him with clear honest adding "I can't say for sure just who all overheard, but Larry, Karl's father who believe it or not wanted to shake your paw, and his cousin did . . . he… lost his wife about six months ago in a car accident, and he… I think is a little affronted with the idea that someone just chose to go through the sort of pain that is still fresh for him."

"Oh… Okay…" He responded slowly, inhaling deeply through his nose before exhaling with a heavy sigh "Now I need to tell you why, so you can tell others, and add that they can all fuck off and go get fucked in hell with satan's cock and me pushing 'cause who the fuck are they to need to know fucking squat about me except that given half a chance I'd skin them for rugs and roast them over a spit like a true fucking human just because I can."

"Sorry." He apologized continuing "I'm not angry . . . not with you, or Lucy; I understand. It's like the displacement of a ship in the ocean with heavy cargo - the water has to go somewhere. Now I need to tell you why, and have paraded around crap I just don't fucking trust with anyone because who the fuck cares, or understands, and what the holy fuck could they do. But go to hell and get fucked . . . Okay, yeah I am angry Mike. Not at you, or Lucy, but definitely at this."

He then paused, taking another breath, and tried starting over "I was a weak, overly sensitive, pussy of a kid. What you get when you're raised surrounded by females, with only your grandfather for a real male role model. I also wasn't exactly . . . the sort of male I seem to be now who can get tail like it's not that hard. As you can imagine that lead me to falling for girls who never even looked at me twice, and being overly sensitive . . . well I got tired of the fucking pain I was causing myself so I solved my problem the only way I saw how. My problem being too much emotion. I thought I had succeeded, and I learned how feeling too little was it's own worse weakness than feeling too much despite the strength in it compared to over-feeling. Then my Akazukin, and I reconnected, and in seeing within my eyes the darkness I know is there . . . the sort of thing I'd never talk about, and no one else ever mentioned seeing . . . She won what was left of my heart, and I was willing to spend the rest of my life with her. I was hers to claim, but a human has no concept of that, and so yeah . . . now you know the shorthand version of the first half of the story. Now I don't want to fucking talk about it anymore, alright? It was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away; it didn't mean shit then, and it means less now."

"Ah . . ." Mike started as if he wanted to say something before he changed his mind simply saying "Alright."

As they drove on, in silence save for the radio, the song shifted into "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who which got a wan smile out of him. Just as the song was ending they were approaching the tunnel into the city, and the usual block of inane advertising began.

Turning the volume down because he loathed commercials, at least modern ones compared to the kind you'd hear in the forties and fifties, he said to Mike "You wanted to say something. What was it?"

Mike was silent a moment clearly still mulling over his thoughts before telling him "I . . . You may believe, with due reason, that no one understands, but I can understand in a way why you did it. If you have something that nobody wants why keep it? Why not throw it away? That makes it all the more sad to me that there wasn't anyone you could talk to, who could've told you not to do what you did, and it's all the more sad that now its too late."

Mike then asked him wearily "How can you just say it all meant nothing, and means less now?"

"Back then I had people who cared, but they wouldn't have understood, or been able to do, or say anything. In fact if they did say anything at all it was the wrong thing like everybody hurts, or buck up. Ultimately that's why it all means nothing; there is nothing that can be done to change any of it." He answered him adding "It means less now, because even with new people who care, and who can actually understand pieces at least, it's all too little, too late."

He then corrected Mike "I didn't throw it away, I crushed it, and though that wasn't my logic, it certainly is a way to get someone to the same place I was when I did it. Don't misunderstand me, too little and too late be damned, that I now have people who at least understand a little . . . that means more to me than I could tell you other than - hehe like I told Veronica - if this is heaven then I will murder in cold blood, and predate who I have to, in order to stay."

"I hate to break it to you, this isn't heaven, and those are near as I'm aware bannable offenses." Mike said with a bit of a forced chuckle.

"I'm still staying, and you're stuck with me." He asserted with a genuine laugh.

"I don't think so." Mike quickly told him, and they both shared a therapeutically cathartic laugh over it.

They were just about through the tunnel, having passed in companionable silence save for the radio, when the music came back with "The Outlaw Torn" by Metallica. Mike's paw flashed out as he readily cranked the volume, and they both bobbed their heads enjoying the track.

Once they were passed the tunnel he rolled the passenger window down before promptly sticking his head out the window getting his first real feel for Savannah Central. In the predawn cool of the night's tail end he could close his eyes, and almost feel like he was back in his homeland; almost. The city proper which they were heading into was way too built up, more on par with L.A., or San Francisco for one thing, and the air though feeling similar was completely different with it's myriad new smells alongside the stronger receptions of more familiar odors.

He was surprised as they drove on by "Orion" by Metallica coming on the radio next, since long instrumentals getting radio airtime was rare, at least until the overnight DJ came on, and asked the listeners how they were enjoying their 'Monday Morning Metallica'. The next track that the DJ put on was "The Unforgiven" which was followed by "The Unforgiven II" then "The Unforgiven III".

The DJ had come on again doing his thing before, as predictable, being followed by more commercials just as they were finally reaching the sizeable campus that made up the Zootopia Police Academy with it's impressive walls, and gate. Mike stopped at the curb a good fifty yards away, which suited him just fine. After getting his seatbelt off, and the door open he was quick to get out and grab is duffle from the back.

"So you're going to stand out in front of that gate until seven?" Mike asked adding "If you wanted me to stick around for some company at least, I don't mind staying."

"I am, and I'm glad I'm the first one here. It's all good Mike, thank you Brother." He responded adding humorously "You know the sort of impression I can make, gotta put my best foot forward."

"That I do, Brother." Mike laughed before telling him as he slung his duffle over his shoulder, and shut the back passenger door "Good luck, David; not that I think you'll need it."

"Thanks, Mike." He responded through the still open passenger window adding "I'm certainly going to give this my best shot."

They finished their goodbye such as it was with a pawshake, and as Mike drove off while he crossed to the Academy side of the road he gave one last wave Mike returned, his left paw sticking out the window.

Turning then towards the Gate he noticed as he came to a stop in front if it the camera that no doubt saw him. Thinking that he was being recorded at least, if not watched, he dropped his duffle next to him and stood at attention albeit relaxedly since he was in for a good two hour wait.

At first he occupied himself staring into the camera, wondering how much in its field of view he was, and whether or not it was just recording footage to a tape, or more modernly a server somewhere, or if there was a mammal in front of a monitor watching back. From there he settled on simply staring at the gate watching for sign of anything, while he kept his ears alert to the rest of his surroundings.

He wasn't sure just how much time had passed when there was finally something to track, and that something was a white figure which came out of the main building. As they approached he quickly recognized the mammal as Sergeant Furschia, and as soon as he did he stiffened his posture coming to full attention.

The female polar bear took her time reaching the gate, and his eyes glued to her he saw the way she curiously eyed him through it. She then unlocked it, and casually as if she were merely stepping past her front door to get the morning paper, she opened then stepped through it closing the gate behind her. He saw the telltale twitch as she now closer to him got a whiff of him, and he in turn didn't hide the flare of his nostrils as he did the same.

If he didn't know any better he would've sworn the Sergeant grinned slightly before she looked him up, and down then walked around him clearly appraising him for which he remained at attention only moving his eyes to keep track of her when she was in his field of vision. When she again was facing him she locked her gaze with his, and unblinkingly he matched her stare.

Silently they kept up the staring contest they'd fallen into at least until there was the sound, and smell of an approaching mammal he swiftly recognized as a fox, and a male one at that. It ignited his curiosity, since already there was a fellow cadet he fully intended to befriend; he knew the tod was going to be a fellow cadet since this was the ZPA, and at this hour only someone like him seeking entrance would be on this side of the road.

When the tod came to a stop a few feet to his left he couldn't help grinning that he'd been right. The Sergeant then surprised them both when she spoke.

"Congratulations, you're the second one here." The Sergeant said, clearly to the tod before telling them both "The last mammal who found it necessary to show up this early proved well worth her fur, and was a lot smaller than either of you. I hope you two have what it takes like she did."

She then turned breaking eye contact with him to look down at the tod, and told him "Well, not that smaller than you, Stick."

"Stick?" The tod asked at which he couldn't help getting his own look at his fellow canine.

"Yes, Cadet Wilde. Stick, because you're too skinny." Sergeant Furschia told him.

"He looks more like a snack to me." He commented jokingly giving the tod she'd called Wilde a playful wink, and flirty grin.

"I'm pretty sure he'd make a better toothpick, Blue." She responded to him.

"Please, ma'am, anything but that." He asked her, turning to her reflexively, already knowing why she'd pick that.

"Why not Cadet Ulfherz?" She asked him turning back to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I am well aware my eyes are my most distinguishing feature; I'd rather not draw more attention because of them unnecessarily. If it's all the same to you ma'am." He responded.

"Hmm, tell you what Blue, you earn a better one then you'll get one, but until then you're Blue." She said to him adding so he knew "And that's only because you were here first, and already know how to show proper respect."

"I kinda like the sound of Blue." Cadet Wilde commented with a grin of his own.

"Careful there Stick. I like to play fetch, and she can throw you." He responded jokingly before saying to the Sergeant "Works for me, Ma'am."

"Fetch?" Cadet Wilde asked him curiously.

"Yes, fetch. It's really simple. The ball, or stick gets thrown, the ball gets chased and caught, then the ball gets brought back; repeat." He answered nodding as he did so.

"So I throw him then you bring him back?" The Sergeant asked with a grin clearly amused by the jest.

"How is that fun? It sounds like a broken game of catch." Cadet Wilde asked him disbelievingly.

"We get some R&R cousin, and I'll show you." He answered him adding "You can throw the ball."

He then said to the Sergeant "If you really threw him I'd try to catch him before he hit the ground, he also doesn't have the proper aerodynamics."

"Do you think I don't get that you were joking Cadet?" Sergeant Furschia asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"I just wanted to make it clear I _was_ joking Ma'am." He told her seriously, unable to help being a little defensive, which he knew would be in his scent as well.

"Hmm." She harrumphed mollified.

"Cousin?" Cade Wilde asked him with surprise adding with joking sarcasm "I'm pretty sure we're not related."

"Are you a canid, or an ostrich?" He asked in response rhetorically adding "We're cousins, my fine vulpine fellow, and when we make it through this we'll be brothers."

"Brothers?" Cadet Wilde asked sceptically.

"Brothers in Blue." He answered resolutely.

"Well, I certainly like your enthusiasm Blue." Sergeant Furschia said to him jovially with a grin before asking him testingly "What makes you so sure that not only you'll make it through this, but he will too?"

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother. I'll carry him if I have to." He answered her unable to think of better words for his sentiment adding "If I have to defeat you in combat to prove myself I'll do it."

"Already I'm a brother to you?" Cadet Wilde asked him almost scoffing.

"Brother Canid, yes." He told him before adding "You probably can't smell my family on me even though it's on top of the bitch, and Scent-Away."

"Do you really think you could do that Cadet? Defeat me in the ring?" Sergeant Furschia asked him gauging him.

Pausing to think about it his ears fell, and he frowned as his scent no doubt broadcasted his fear "No. Not Now. Not without trying to kill you, and that being the benchmark for success. You have bigger fangs, and bigger claws. That's half of why I'm here, to learn a better way."

"Not without trying to kill me?" Sergeant Furschia echoed skeptically before commenting with a chuckle "No wonder you like Stick, here."

"I only have my fangs, tactically. You have bigger fangs, and claws... _like a tiger_..." He told her with an involuntary twitch of his shoulders unable to hide his fetishes as the tigress officer he'd met at the mall came to mind adding "Not to mention your natural size, weight, strength, speed, and reflexes compared to mine; let alone your sense of scent. Like things in Texas it's either go big, or go home."

He then, probably due to lack of sleep, thought it'd help get his point across to add "You can ask that pretty tigress… ah what did her name tag read… Fang eyer? Anyway, had this convo with her too. Why run when you can catch, and eviscerate me without trying especially at this close range. It's the same principle, your base lethality is higher than mine, I must react accordingly."

"Base lethality?" Sergeant Furschia echoed again with genuine surprise before asking him bluntly "Where are you from? Did you grow up in a really strict military household, or what?"

"Huh?" He responded before asking her "What do you mean? No I didn't grow up in that kind of environment."

"Nobody who gets far enough past basic training to start thinking in terms of base lethality just washes out, and there would be record of that if you did, that I would've noted Cadet Ulfherz." Sergeant Furshcia told him adding "If you didn't learn that sort of thinking from your dad, or an uncle then where did you learn it that you think coming here can help you unlearn some of it?"

"Hehe" He couldn't help laughing at her before answering "Ma'am I never met my dad until I was eighteen, and though I did take karate lessons way back when I was a cub, I didn't stay in is just how I think."

"And just how did you have a run in with Officer Fangmeyer?" Sergeant Furschia asked him as if she had a feeling to what sort of answer he'd give.

"This dumb cub started a fight, that I ended, but I was going to end it permanently 'cause I know how shits like that seek retaliation. I was about to be mid lunge when Evie stopped me." He answered her honestly explaining "It was a pure case of self defence on my part since he drew a knife, and no charges were filed on either side."

"Well, I'll tell you this Cadet, you are probably gonna get well acquainted with Instructor Dusk; hopefully we can help you." She told him with a nod before she turned to Cadet Wilde, and asked him "So, what made you want to get behind a badge?"

"Someone showed me a better way, a way I thought blocked forever, and I want to see where this path leads." Cadet Wilde answered her solemnly before turning, and giving him a look he couldn't quite place.

Movement caught his eye, and he looked up to see an approaching cheetah.

"You've got one up on your brother Cadet Swift. He was fifth." Sergeant Furschia called out in greeting saying as the cheetah got closer "Damn you're tiny."

"That is my nickname." Cadet Swift, who in speaking revealed she was a female, said with clear humor.

"Good, 'cause that's what I was going to go with anyway." Sergeant Furschia told her adding as she gestured to them "Say hello to Stick, and Blue."

"I get Stick, but Blue?" Cadet Swift asked before saying to them "Hey guys."

"Hello Swift, I'm Ulfherz." He greeted her with a half wave pointedly keeping his eyes off of her.

"Am I really that skinny?" Cadet Wilde asked her a little disbelievingly before adding with a half wave of his own "I'm Wilde."

"What do you mean you don't get Blue?" Sergeant Furschia asked her curiously.

"If they let me cook for you, I can fatten you up, but yes you're that skinny." He told Cadet Wilde with a grin as he looked at him.

"Oh, that's why. Come on Blue show her." Sergeant Furschia said as she saw how he was avoiding doing just that.

"Is that an order ma'am?" He respectfully asked her back in defiance.

"Yes, Cadet." Sergeant Furschia responded reflexively.

"Very well, ma'am, but if half the females who show up wind up panting after me you'll have started it, and I will not be held accountable for my actions." He told her before obligingly looking Cadet Swift in the eye, and giving her a grin.

"Oh, wow… they _are_ blue _and_ yellow… they're so pretty..." Cadet Swift said with a clear bit of awe as she took a few steps closer to him before she stopped, and told him "Your girlfriend is lucky."

"She's not my girlfriend." He told her reflexively adding with it clear in his tone that he meant the subject to drop "I am not so fucked up as to date someone when I could never love them back. They call me King of the Unliving for a reason."

"What?" Cadet Swift asked him confusedly.

" _You_ are unliving?" Sergeant Furshcia asked him surprisedly adding "At your age?"

"Did you seriously offer to fix me food?" Cadet Wilde asked him with surprise for a different reason as he added a little nervously "So when you said snack?"

"Yes I will cook for you, handsome brother, but I'll cook for just about anyone if they ask, and I feel like it." He told Cadet Wilde with a shrug before telling the Sergeant bitterly "Yeah, and King because I skipped the lose your mate step, quite intentionally, then went unclaimed. Right now I'm sick of fucking getting into it, and it's no ones fucking business though now half the fucking Tundra Town packs are going to fucking know."

"How do you just skip that step?" Sergeant Furschia bluntly asked him taken aback.

"Give me your paw, pad side up." He told her just as bluntly.

When she did so he placed his right paw over her much larger one by about an inch, and slowing his breathing he fell into the proper focus before he first reached out with a tendril of chi, which took a bit of effort, then taking into account their size difference once he had made contact he turned his focus to pulling from her as much chi as he could as hard, and fast as possible.

When she recoiled, shouting out in alarm as she did so, before rubbing her arm he told her looking her in the eye with deadly seriousness "I did it with strength of will you cannot fathom."

"That was _cold_." She said to him completely shocked adding "It was like the life was getting pulled out of me."

At that he just looked at her silently refusing to comment, and letting what he'd said so far stand for itself.

His silence seemed to spread to the rest of them with the Sergeant looking at him warily, and they stayed like that for a good few minutes until the next mammal showed up.

It was a snow leopardess who the Sergeant greeted as Cadet Frost, revealing when Cadet Swift asked about it that her list with the names of her new class had their I.D. pictures next to them. As she pulled said clipboard out of the thigh pocket of her police blue fatigue trousers along with a pen she commented to them that it made her life easier.

As the dawn started creeping up, and the sky lightened, more mammals began to show up at which point he resumed standing at full attention having relaxed again. His doing so, got Cadets Wilde, Swift, and Frost to follow suit, and with them leading the example the new arrivals joined formation. The Sergeant continued to call out each Cadet as they arrived, revealing she'd shown the early arrivals her more lax side with how she'd switched to the sort of tone, and demeanor befitting a seasoned drill instructor.

Facing forward, and only knowing the names of the three mammals to his left, he didn't really pay much attention to the names she further called out except for Cenote which caught his attention; in knowing what a cenote was he found the name both interesting in it's uniqueness, and pretty in a way that had him hoping Cadet Cenote wasn't a male.

Eventually she ran out of names to call, and remarked when it was due to everyone on her roster showing up with dark amusement that they'd see who made it through. She had them wait in the rough formation they'd assembled themselves in until ten minutes past oh-seven-hundred, according to her watch, at which point she ordered them to form a single line and head for the Admin building as she opened the gate to accommodate them all.

By luck of having been first he wound up leading the line with Cadet Wilde behind him, and relaxedly he kept his pace even as he did so. About a quarter down the main access road which was only a single car lane in width he heard the Sergeant close the gate, before she then jogged to catch up with thudding footfalls he could feel as she approached reminding him all too well how much she outweighed him which was very much to her advantage.

She slowed down once she'd assumed lead position from him, and shouting behind her told them all that they were going to get officially registered as Cadets, issued rooms and gear, and given ten minutes to change into said gear before meeting her at the track which was behind the Admin building.

Once inside the Admin building which was a shock to him with its size due to being built to accommodate elephants, and giraffes. The sheer space of it was a little unnerving as it called to mind descriptions of Emperor Muad'Dib's ever expanding Arrakeen palace in Dune: Messiah; he found a new grasp on his ability to visualize such things feeling so dwarfed by his surroundings.

The process of registration didn't take too long, as it was mostly signing basic forms, and a few waivers. After passing the packet he'd been given back to one of the several receptionists who were varying species of deer, he could tell that much, all he had to do was pass over his I.D. for a final confirmation of that. The receptionist as she gave him his room key informed him that it had been prepared already for a large wolf then gave him directions to reach the barracks from where they were.

Essentially taking the main hallway into the Admin building, then turning right when it ended in a T intersection he, and his fellow cadets as they finished registering made their way through the building then out to the barracks which was about fifty yards away.

His room as indicated by the number on the key ring was three dash twelve, and as advertised by that number alone he found room twelve on the third floor which the key readily unlocked. Passing into what would be his room for the next several months he only bothered to drop his duffle on the bed, and inspect the open crate at the foot of it which held his new ZPA official attire. Light shorts, and T-shirts which for a long furred mammal such as himself would suffice equally well in both hot, and cold weather he counted out totalled eight which gave him a weeks worth plus one for laundry day much to his approval. There was also much to his enjoyment a hoodie, which while in general was of negligible utility even in Tundra Town for a wolf barring long term exposure to the elements, was worn more for aesthetic.

He wasted little time taking off the plain black shirt he'd been wearing, and his cargo pants then putting on a pair of the shorts which were a little tighter than he'd have preferred, but not enough to be intolerable, and one of the ZPA emblazoned shirts. That done he left locking the door then pocketing his key as he made his way out of the building, and getting his bearings walked over towards where he saw Sergeant Furschia waiting. He hadn't been the first done, but he somehow seemed to be the first to meet her at the track anyway, and it had him looking behind him confusedly only to see closest behind him were Cadets Wilde, and Frost while everyone else seemed to be trickling out of the barracks.

"Are you really that serious about this?" Sergeant Furschia asked him adding "Or do you just have a need to be first Blue."

"Hah, I'm quite used to being last ma'am. It is my place after all." He told her with his usual dour mirth.

"Are you broken, or something Blue?" Sergeant Furschia asked him off-pawedly with simple curiosity.

"In spades, Ma'am. It's not funny, but I'm laughing anyway 'cause that's all there is for it." He answered her before clearly changing the subject by asking her with his tail wagging enthusiastically "So when do we get to run?"

"You want to run that bad Blue?" She asked him amusedly with a raised eyebrow.

"I like running." He responded not meaning to sound as much like Forrest Gump as he inadvertently did.

"You do, do ya Forrest? Wanna make a race of it?" Cadet Wilde asked him with an amused chuckle.

"I would, but there's no way you could outrun me without a foxhole to dive in." He told him with a smirk remembering Evie's diving into a snowdrift while they'd been playing in the park.

"I ran track in high school, and have kept in the practice." Cadet Wilde told him challengingly.

"Okay, then give it your best shot. You may have the advantage of a lower center of gravity, but you will not win." He responded good naturedly.

"Just get on the track." Sergeant Furschia told them exasperatedly before shouting for all to hear "Get Your Tails On The Track! You Get The Drill!"

Leading the class with their somewhat friendly rivalry, as it seemed to be turning into, he and Cadet Wilde both took up crouches on the track with most taking up positions behind them. A few though did take up positions alongside them; Cadet Frost who looked determined, a male cheetah who looked as ready to run as he felt, and a smaller male wolf who was tan instead of grey and had an expression similar to Cadet Wilde's own confidence.

He turned his head back to the track in front of him just in time for the Sergeant's shouted "Show Me What You've Got!"

Like a coiled spring he was off in a leap landing on his forepaws then bringing his hind legs forward his momentum carrying him into another leap as he got his whole body into running at a steady pace. He had just found that easy rhythm that would carry him around the track without wasting energy, going more for endurance than speed, and started to enjoy the wind rushing past when he heard the yelling, and the Sergeant's roar.

A polar bear roaring being the sort of thing one looks towards to make sure said polar bear isn't about to charge one's way, and in making that mistake before slowing down, he missed landing on his forepaws then found himself doing a somersault before landing in a side roll that sucked the last of his momentum away. Getting back on all four of his feet he shook the dust off then looked towards the mammals that had been behind him.

The first thing he noted was that Cadet Wilde was closest, but he'd slowed down considerably, and was still approaching slowly. Cadet Frost likewise was approaching slowly, and with her stride gaining on Cadet Wilde, her muzzle showing a deal less nervousness than the tod's. Everyone else seemed to be in some state of shock, or fear, from the way they all seemed to cower as they held still.

"The fuck's wrong with all of you?" He asked them raising his voice so it'd carry.

"That's Our Question For You, Cadet! What Is Your Major Malfunction?!" Sergeant Furshcia bellowed in response as she marched over.

"Which One?" He asked back genuinely.

"You're not savage?" The cheetah asked tentatively.

"That's what this is about?" He asked back having to actually sit he was so incredulous.

"Yes, that's what this is about, and you scaring the scat out of everyone here because you seem incapable of running like a normal mammal." Sergeant Furschia barked at him unamusedly.

"Then you all are fucking idiots of the highest caliber." He responded, and the Sergeant actually stopped in her tracks looking at him as if daring him to include her in that, so he did "You too Ma'am, sorry."

"You want to explain yourself, and carefully Cadet. I can throw you just as easily as I can throw Stick, right over that gate." Sergeant Furschia said to him making it clear she wasn't in the mood to dick around.

"Well for starters you've taken leave of your faculties of observation which should've told you from scent alone I wasn't savage, or ferally aggravated for that matter. On top of that, I feel I should point out that this is the proper way to run, and you all are doing it wrong. These forms were designed to run in this fashion, and walking bipedally as opposed to quadrupedally is the evolutionary aberration." He began explaining adding "You can stick to running your way, let me stick to mine; I had to relearn walking upright in this form, but actual running upright I can't why would I? I cover more distance, more easily, and can maintain a steady pace more economically. Seriously, if any of you want to beat me on this track you'll have to run like I do, elseways I hope you like watching my tail as you eat my dust."

"Why don't we have a demonstration for the class, stand off to the side, and watch how I outrun whoever has the balls to challenge me; you can see how running upright, may be civil, but is woefully useless." He then suggested, looking to the cheetah "You up for helping me show the class what I mean? You on two legs versus me on four?"

"He's not wrong." Cadet Wilde spoke backing him up "Anyone who has lived on the streets, or is in to parkour will tell you, on all fours you cover more ground faster, and easier. Also having had to run from a savage jaguar I can tell you he wasn't exhibiting any of the signs of being shot with nighthowler."

"Do I get a second try, on all fours?" The cheetah asked him clearly priding himself on the aptitude for running his species was known for.

"Fine by me, but you'll only win the sprint. Your top speed, if you were used to running on all fours, would peak around seventy miles per hour. Mine is what? Thirty-five? But I can keep that up for miles which you can't. You lose the distance race, and I can out track you." He responded good naturedly.

"And how do you know that's how fast I'd be?" The cheetah asked him taking a few steps forward then offering his paw, with his unvoiced question clear.

"Sarge is calling me Blue till I earn a better one, but it's Ulfherz." He introduced himself returning the unvoiced question as he stood from his sitting position so he could properly shake the cheetah's paw adding when he did so "How I know it is the kind of classified you wouldn't believe if I told you, and I'm neither at liberty nor am I inclined to indulge your curiosity."

"Alright, what's with the spook speak Blue?" Sergeant Furshcia asked him clearly expecting an honest answer as she added "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were a ZIA plant just to troll us, which makes no sense whatsoever, but the evidence is pointing that way."

"Right, some secret mission to infiltrate the ZPD? For what?" He replied laughing at the ridiculousness of it before telling her "One of my favorite movies is Apocalypse Now if you've never heard the, I'm unaware of any such activity, or operation, nor would I be disposed to discuss any such activity, or operation if it did in fact exist sir, line. Also I'm a pretty big fan of Metal Gear hashtag Team-Ocelot-Not-Miller; you could say I'm a military otaku of sorts."

"I can see why she'd call you Blue, like whoah, but wouldn't Wild fit better?" The cheetah asked as they ended their pawshake adding "I'm Rushes, but everyone just calls me Reed."

"It would, but he's Wilde." He responded gesturing to said tod adding "Yeah, it's called central heterochromia, and you'd be hard pressed to find any wolf with eyes like mine."

"That's right we already have a Wilde." Sergeant Furschia commented before musing "Couldn't call you Savage that'd be misleading… How about Feral?"

"Heh, Feral Blue has a nice ring to it, and totally works as a code name for Mother Base, though I'd rather use Sniper Vamp." He replied amusedly before he realized the word he'd let slip, that he couldn't play off at least with the Sergeant, and the witnesses Swift, Wilde, and Frost.

With the way the Sergeant's eyes widened he could tell she'd put two, and two together, but he kept his trap shut.

"Just Feral." Sergeant Furschia told him taking a clear step back before saying "I'll permit this demonstration, let's see you put your money where your mouth is Cadet."

She then turned to the rest of the class and said to them "Your lucky break. Let's see who's faster a cheetah, or a wolf."

When he in response started walking back down the track with Reed following the rest of the class seemed to use extra haste to get out of his way so he told them as he passed "You'll want to stand back far enough to get a good side view. Pay attention to the difference in our strides."

"I'm gonna give you a five second head start, alright Reed." He said to the cheetah when he stopped at a suitable point along the straight away on this side of the track for them to start adding "You'll cover less ground on two legs so I'll take the handicap, make this a little more fair."

"Fine by me, Feral." Reed responded with a grin adding "It sounds so ironic actually calling you that."

"Would it seem to fit better if I told you I nearly killed someone with my fangs?" He asked as he got down in a starting crouch adding "He drew a knife, I broke his arm, his throat was open when he screamed, I was going to go for it. A vixen saved us both."

"Yeah, that'd do the trick." Reed answered him nervously as he likewise crouched down.

"I guess I better not tell you about the chicken I bought." He said chuckling amusedly before saying "Whenever you're ready, use all your speed, you'll need it."

"Okay, yeah you _are_ Feral. I can guess what you did, and not even Naturists are willing to go that far." Reed said to him before he without warning sprang forward sprinting with all his effort.

"Ichi… Ni… San… Shi… Go." He counted down in Japanese before he made his own spring forward, and his muscles having barely had a chance to get warmed up quickly loosened up as he started eating up the distance Reed had on him.

At first, simply to help motivate himself to reach his top speed quickly, he genuinely chased after Reed as if he were prey, and for him it was the simplest thing to do. As he started to close in on the cheetah's tail however he moved to the side since soon enough he'd be passing him. In no time at all it seemed he'd reached Reed, and coming alongside the cheetah, he kept pace with him briefly before he easily out distanced him.

Having been listening for it he heard when Reed started slowing down behind him, and used that as his own cue to come to a stop. Slowing down to a walk this time before turning around he looked behind himself, and saw that he'd certainly proven his point.

Trotting back over to where Reed had stopped, and was stretching as he caught his breath he said to the cheetah "Whenever you're ready for round two, let's go. That was a good warm up."

"A warm up, yeah." Reed joked with a chuckle.

He continued walking passed Reed, and back to their starting position eyeing the reactions of his fellow cadets and the Sergeant as he did so. Near as he could tell the Sergeant seemed impressed, and her opinion was the one that mattered.

"I'll give you that one Cadet Ulfherz." Sergeant Furschia said to him explaining "Cheetahs are some of the hardest mammals to catch, and you just made it look like cubs play."

"Was it really necessary to chase him like that? Like he was prey?" Cadet Wilde asked him adding "Playing it up like that, _Feral_?"

"Who says I was playing it up?" He asked back looking at the tod hungrily, and lowering his gaze lingering particularly on the black fur of his 'socks' before saying to Sergeant Furschia "It'll be a more fair contest with Reed on all fours, like I said he'll win the sprint, but when he tires I'll catch him."

"Hey, my eyes are up here." Cadet Wilde told him.

"Uh-huh, and I'm looking at your feet. It just looks like I'm staring at your crotch. If there was a laser pointer in my eye you'd see my line of sight, of course then I'd probably chase after the dot on the ground." He responded flippantly with a chuckle before looking up into the tod's eyes easily since their heights were almost even, and asking him with a grin raising his eyebrow "Do I smell like I'd be looking at your cock?"

"No, but the scent of whoever you were stuck to is fading, and that doesn't mean anything." Wilde answered him smartly looking him back in the eye.

"Oh, it doesn't? I guess then that's the question isn't it?" He replied with a smug grin before saying to the tod "Thanks for letting me know, I was hoping her scent'd wear off with a good run."

"You weren't really chasing him like that were you, Ulfherz?" Sergeant Furschia asked him with it clear in her tone she assumed he had been joking.

"Chased by a savage jaguar; I know the look." Wilde commented neutrally lifting his paw for emphasis.

"A little. I didn't catch him, or take him down. Multiple ways I could've done that, with my fangs, and left him relatively unmolested. I am well aware of my bite strength, and how not to use all of it." He answered honestly with it plain in his tone that he was merely stating the facts of the matter, or at least he thought so.

"Relatively unmolested, huh?" Reed said as he walked up on all fours adding to him "I thought I was just being paranoid, I guess my instincts aren't half bad. I see what you mean by the way, Feral, about crossing distance faster like this; I thought it'd take me longer to get this far, though I don't see how you move like this so comfortably."

"It's going to be awkward for you because you probably haven't really moved like this since you were a cub; that is true. You want to do a dry run?" He responded ceding Reed's point before explaining "More like superficially wounded, compared to what you could do to me if you responded in kind."

He then for emphasis pointed with his muzzle saying " _Those Claws._ "

"You are too hardcore for me Feral." Reed said to him with a laugh adding "I can't believe you'd think I'd do that. I think I will take you up on that trial run though."

"What'll really bake your noodle later is how I'd react depending on how claws like yours were used." He couldn't help telling him with a grin before suggesting "Why don't we make it back to where we started? I'll keep pace with you, and show you the ropes."

"Sounds good to me." Reed answered good naturedly before adding amusedly "I'm totally not surprised you're one of those Feral, it fits you."

"Bite, and scratch are starter instructions, I ain't gonna lie." He told Reed with a light laugh as he started walking back down the track.

As he moved to follow Reed quickly sped up into a light trot temporarily taking point saying complimenting-ly "You are alright, Feral. You own it."

"Thanks; I'm not really gonna be any other way." He replied as he effortlessly came back alongside him adding "You've got jogging down, but running like this is more like leaping forward as opposed to leaping up."

He then sped up slightly so he could show Reed the motions slowly as the cheetah passed him, and once he was about a body length ahead he began using the motions of running as slowly as he could.

It didn't take long at all for Reed to catch on, and rather quickly he was able to keep up with him actually running. Before either of them could put on enough speed to really get going he broke left turning around since they'd passed their rough starting point. As he came back around he noted Reed had broken right, and they met up again shoulder to shoulder with ease. Together they came to a languid stop roughly where they'd started their previous race, and in near unison took up running crouches.

"Remember put your all into it, but don't waste your energy. She's going to have us run more, and if you push too hard you will be useless until you recover. I've been there, it sucks." He said to Reed while they were still at the ready.

"I know, but thanks for the reminder. I've been there too, it does suck." Reed responded agreeingly.

"Have you been there like this?" He asked curiously.

"Okay, maybe not, but I get the idea." Reed answered with a chuckle.

"Then show me what you've got." He told him, echoing the Sarge, as he sprang forward accelerating up to the pace that would allow him to win the long run.

He hadn't gone all that far when Reed with a short cheer zipped passed him like he was trying to fly. It was hard for him to keep his chuckles at Reed's enthusiasm for running internal since he needed to maintain his steady breathing, and laughing would fuck that up.

It was in its own way comical because now the show of a cheetah outrunning a wolf that had been expected was what they got he mused to himself, knowing that with his pace already set it didn't look like he was actually chasing Reed at all to the casual observer. Little did they know that this too was hunting tactics, just adjusted for different sport.

He was true to his word though, he was only hunting Reed a little, or rather stalking him a little, but only insofar as it was part of their contest. As he caught up with the cheetah he'd slow down enough to stop where Reed did, at least that was his intention.

As it turned out despite his friendly caution to Reed the cheetah ran full tilt until he had no choice but to stop, and coming to a stand still lay where he was, panting. He'd seen it coming, and when he saw Reed stop so abruptly he in response used his full speed to reach the cheetah faster. In his haste he overshot his target, and had to use the action of doubling back to also slow himself, almost doing a sort of power slide on the track.

"I told you not to over do it, and _you_ agreed. What's with the psychological reactance?" He asked Reed as he came to a stop next to the panting cheetah who'd decided to flop onto his side.

"I was _flying_." Reed answered him hoarsely, but with clearly no regrets.

"Too bad the Sarge didn't have a radar gun with her, she could've clocked your speed; I wonder if you got close to seventy, or not Maverick." He responded with a grin.

"If I made sixty I can die a happy mammal. That was amazing, thank you for showing me the way; I owe you brother." Reed told him sincerely.

"De nada mi hermano." He replied as he rose to his hindpaws then crouched, and picking up Reed in what he remembered as a fireman's carry told him "I will give you the dignity of not carrying you like a princess. Or a sack of potatoes."

"Thanks, but why are you carrying me? Not that I'm complaining." Reed responded.

"Since you're out of commission I'm getting you off the field. When you recover you can rejoin the fight." He answered plainly as he carried the cheetah over to where everyone else was.

"Rejoin the fight, huh?" Reed asked him amusedly.

"You know what I mean." He replied.

When he reached everyone he told Reed "I'm setting you down now, can you stand?"

"I should be able to." Reed answered, and with that he lowered the cheetah to the ground hindpaws first before as he stood back up reaching out across Reed's shoulders to make sure he was steady.

"Whoo, I'm gonna feel that tomorrow. I didn't even know I had muscles there." Reed commented as he got under his own feet.

"You want a back rub later, I'm your guy, de nada." He offered casually as he lowered his arm seeing that the cheetah was relatively stable.

"I may just take you up on that." Reed responded as he stretched with a grimace.

"Alright, Feral I don't care if you're full of more surprises like that, we're keeping you." Sergeant Furshcia told him looking genuinely happy with him as she added "I'm glad I didn't throw you over the gate."

She then startled him as she shouted to the class "In Case You Missed It. This Crazy Wolf Just Showed You All What Kind Of Mammal You Want Watching Your Tail In The Field!"

"How, Ma'am?" He asked her, his ears still splayed back from her shout, not quite seeing how he'd earned her praise.

"You saw a comrade go down, and your first reaction was to ascertain their injuries then carry them out of the engagement zone." She responded with a frown as if he were being dense adding as if daring him to contradict her "Tell me you didn't."

"Well... No... I can't deny that ma'am." He responded running his right paw over his right ear unable to hide how his body language broadcasted how being put on the spot made him uncomfortable.

"Heh, that's how he put it too Sarge." Reed said to her with a laugh adding "He was getting me off the field since I was out of commission, and I could rejoin the fight once I recovered."

"Shut up Maverick, you were a road hazard." He responded with a laugh of his own as he gave the cheetah the finger, or rather the digit.

"Road Hazard?" Reed repeated before he burst out laughing, lightly shoving him as he did so, before he let out a pained whine and said "Ow, you're a dick Feral, making me laugh too hard."

"Sorry, not sorry Maverick buddy." He responded with a chuckle.

"So he's Maverick now, huh?" Sergeant Furschia inquired curiously.

"Yeah, I told him not to run full tilt, 'cause he'd be useless otherwise, and we haven't even started running. Which he agreed, but he couldn't help himself, so he's Maverick." He answered her mirthfully.

"It was worth it." Reed added for his own part.

"Well, I'd say you earned Maverick, Cadet Rushes, and I like your spirit; you certainly were a jet passed Feral here." The Sergeant complimented Reed with a nod before turning to him saying "You're damn right Feral."

She then raised her voice again, and this time he was prepared for it "That's Right! You Haven't Even Started Running. Get Those Tails Moving!"

Without really thinking about it he dropped back to all fours then trotted onto the track before picking up speed into an easy lope as if he were merely going for a stroll. This time no one seemed to raise any alarm, and that made him happy since he knew the sort of endurance test the Sarge was putting them through, and he wanted to prove just how much in the bag it was for him. He had put in hours, and hours every weekend into running with Kiera, and Evie as training for a reason besides just that he loved running, and got to flirt like a primitive with a pair of sexy females in the bargain; picking one area he wanted to make sure he had improved to at least give himself a foundational place here at the Academy he'd chosen his endurance for running knowing full well this was likely to be one of the first tests they got run through like a wringer to see who washed out.

He was not alone this time, in his running on all fours, as the class except for the still recovering Reed got going around the track. The first one he noticed was Wilde who kept pace with seeming ease which got his tail wagging happily such that it could. The others who followed suit were Swift, and the tan almost blonde furred in the light wolf who had the same sort of athletic build as Reed. Swift proved smart enough to use her speed in bursts at first before she slowed down to the pace he'd set coming into loose formation with him, Wilde, and the wolf he didn't know. Said wolf he couldn't help seeing as a pretty boy, but the sort that couldn't help it, 'cause his fur was just that pretty to look at, and being a skinny five foot example of their species he had the same sort of slenderness a female did; he fully expected him to prove completely straight, but just having the body type to go with the sort of male who wasn't in contrast to how he himself had the build of a purely straight alpha even though he wasn't.

They'd intuitively adjusted how they kept their pace together as they made their way around the track, and just as they were coming up on the end of lap one Reed, having recovered, joined in seamlessly. As they came up on the rest of their fellow cadets who doing their best to run bipedally were scattered about they independently maneuvered around their slower fellows. Making his way through the throng he noted from the sound of the footfalls that Wilde was shadowing him, and insofar as it reminded him of Evie doing the same, the sound was somewhat comforting. After getting through the main cluster of their fellow cadets they had room to spread out abreast, and that to him at least made the exercise more fun.

Together they proved his point in the broader picture when after what had to have been at least an hour of running, with everyone else flagging out, the Sergeant called them back to formation, and they were the only ones not showing signs of fatigue. As soon as his feet touched the grass he stood with Wilde, Swift, Reed, and the Pretty Boy likewise doing the same before the Sergeant had a chance to yell at them to do so which she had turned to do as they came in last off the track.

"Alright Cadets! I Think It's Obvious To All Of You Who Just Owned That Exercise, And Why, So I Won't Preach To You, And Insult Your Intelligence." Sergeant Furschia began addressing them, continuing seriously "I Can't Tell You Not To Learn From Their Example, Because I Expect You To Learn, But I Will Tell You That In The Wake Of The Nighthowler Attacks Most Of You Should Stick To Running Like Civilized Mammals."

"Now I Hope You're Hungry 'Cause Here Comes The First Course. Follow Me!" She shouted before leading them farther down the field.

Simply by not being worn out from his run he couldn't help moving around the rest of his fellow cadets, and up to the front. He noted however as he did so that Wilde was still shadowing him, and his pace evening out when he reached the front he brought it up to the tod now on his right.

"There a reason you're on my heels, Brother?" He asked as he saw the obstacle course she was leading them too, and his tail wagged as he looked forward to whatever challenge it might pose.

"I've never been, but they say the way to survive prison, isn't to beat the shit out of the biggest mammal you can, it's to make 'em your friend; and you're the scariest one here." Wilde answered him before adding bluntly "Also I don't trust you yet, but you seem like you're for real, Cousin."

"Let me guess, chased by savage jaguar, I give you flashbacks?" He posited curiously.

"You're not trying to eat me, so no." Wilde responded before telling him "I never met someone so openly nice to everybody. I expected you to have some angle, but I haven't found it yet."

"Well, I ain't just nice to everybody. Remember I was gonna kill a dumb teenage cub just for drawing a knife, and being a cunt; as it was I mounted him like a bitch, and broke his arm pretty bad." He countered.

"I'll give you that, someone gives you a reason to, and you're not so nice, but you know what I mean." Wilde said to him conversationally.

"You want to know why I'm so nice to you? Well you'll just have to befriend me to find out. I don't trust so easily either." He responded before unable to hide his smirk he added "I'll give you a freebie though, it's not just because I think you are handsome, and sexy."

"So you were staring at my dick?" Wilde asked, and he could tell the mixed signals he'd been sending were getting to the tod.

"No I legitimately was looking at your socks. I am fond of the way the black fur flows into the red, and that's to say nothing of the way they contrast with the white of your fur, or those cho kawaii kitsune mimi." He answered him truthfully before adding with a grin "Vixens are sexier though, you do not win that one."

"I wouldn't want to win it." Wilde said with a laugh before telling him cringing "Please, don't speak like that."

"Naze desu nyan? Kitsune-ni-kun?" He asked in response this time trying to sound cute instead of speaking normally.

"You did not just nyan." Wile responded disbelievingly.

"Nyan. Nyan-Nyan." He replied resisting the urge to reveal his trump card so soon when it was such gold.

"Oh my gods. Will you stop?" Wilde asked him shaking his head.

"Naze Kitsune-ni- _nyan_?" He asked back in reply his tail wagging triumphantly.

"Alright, knock it off Feral. Just what is that sound anyway?" Sergeant Furschia told him as she stopped at the edge of the obstacle course then turning around she addressed the class "This Course Simulates The Sort Of Difficulties You Will Face In This District. You Will Have To Earn Your Next Course. I Expect You All To Run It, And Love It, This Is Breakfast. Now Get To It!"

"Except you Feral." She said to him once she'd finished, so he waited while the rest of the class started, slowly on only two feet, to make their way over the various obstacles.

Once it was just the two of them she brought up what she meant to "Alright, I want this story from you straight. How'd you nearly kill this cub?"

"I was at the mall clothes shopping with… my new family, and I'd left them to go change into some of what I'd bought. When I got back to them this punk was doing a poor job of flirting with Kiera a fellow she-wolf, and part of my new family. When he pushed Evie a vixen I am now the avowed Champion of, I told him to fuck off, or I'd mount him like a bitch. He threw a punch, I bent his arm behind him, and made good on my word to mount his ass then let him go, and told him to fuck off again. He drew a switchblade, not even a real knife, and took a slash I blocked, disarmed him, then broke his arm. When he screamed his throat was exposed, and I was going to lunge until Evie shouted at me; she saved the both of us that day." He gave her the abridged version.

"And how old was this cub?" She asked in follow up.

"Sixteen. Found out later he was somewhat of a school bully. Also Found out this morning he'd probably been acting out since he recently lost his mother; my debt to Evie grows, and I have not even begun to pay it back. I came here to take the first steps towards doing that." He answered her with a yawn though the previous exercise had gotten him past his need for sleep; he'd gotten his body going good.

"Can I ask you just why you were going to lunge?" She inquired.

"You probably haven't seen my medical record, even if it updated with my official identification. I woke up in the Tundra Town woods just over a month ago, and while I have gotten a good deal of my earlier memories back, there is a huge gap between the life I had before, and the one I have now since starting over was my only option. I was going to lunge partly because I'm, still, compensating for a lot of things with my instincts, and well the other part… You ever have a paranoid tweaker berate you for lying, no matter what you say, even though you were telling the truth, or assault you just because they felt their anger was justified and you deserved it, or your head stomped on by someone larger than you just because you like sucking dick, and you got his girl to see him for the jerk he was? You learn that if you're gonna fight someone, it's go all the way, and take them out before they take you out, or hope to fuck you don't get shot, or stabbed mortally. Be the aggressor, and you are more likely to win the fight." He explained to her feeling no need to hold anything back since she was his superior officer, and honesty was the best policy with one's superior officers.

"But you don't actually like fighting do you? Which is why you were so afraid of the thought of fighting me. Now I get why you see me in terms of base lethality." She said to him understandingly.

"Well, yes I prefer diplomacy first, and war as the option of last resort, but if some people are gonna go there, and be assholes then I'm gonna be one right back, and if I gotta bite off someone's arm then cauterize the wound so they don't bleed out just to put them in their place then that's just what I gotta do." He clarified unabashedly before he added expressing his own disconcerted-ness with himself "See what I mean by instincts? I wasn't this violent before… kinda more the passive aggressive type..."

"Okay, you're gonna get to know Dr. Rockwell pretty well too. In fact I may just have you go talk to him after you've had a couple hours with Instructor Cloudpaw." She replied before telling him "With this honest streak you seem to have, if Feral didn't fit you so damn well, after you doin' all that running I'd be calling you Forrest."

"Let me guess, Cloudpaw's our teacher, of the rules, and what not; upside of living with a lawyer I've been reading, kinda looking forward to that." He said to her adding "I'll be up front with you about most things Ma'am, you're the Boss, but like I told Wilde, I don't trust so easily; I ain't gonna be _that_ honest."

"Yes, I am Chief Instructor, and in charge of P.T., while Instructor Cloudpaw is in charge of the Academics side of things, and Instructor Dusk is in charge of special training; I think he's going to like you." She explained in response before saying with a nod "Fair enough, you've got reason to be guarded."

"Being up front though, off the record, you really after Stick, or you just fucking with him?" Sergeant Furschia then asked him with honest curiosity, and without any judgement.

"If he's bi like me then maybe, but I don't think he goes for that sort of thing, so I'm just fucking with him with the truth." He answered her plainly with a shrug.

"You really are a piece of work, you know that Feral?" She said to him rhetorically with a light laugh in amusement before telling him just as the first of his fellow cadets were coming back from their first lap of the course "Alright, get out there, Cadet."

He just nodded, and jogged off to the start of the course which was a section of tires; it was the sort of thing that made him miss human legs which would have cleared it superiorly, and as it was he did his best to manage the feat vertically since that was the optimal way to cross the obstacle.

From there he dropped down to all fours to make it over the next section of what was really just a basic obstacle course. He did his best to alternate between being on his hindpaws, and being on all fours as he took on certain sections to prove he could do the things ' _normally_ '. As it was if he took the whole thing on all fours he would've essentially been cheating, skipping half the things by either jumping on top of, or over them if he couldn't just crouch under them as he ran.

Having taken a few of the hurdles by simply running under them crouching with his stomach nearly to the ground just because he could had given him a couple ideas, and when he finished with his own first lap of the course he first dove from all fours into a prone position on the grass then proceeded to belly crawl on his elbows, and knees. Finding that doing it this way, in the form he was in, was as doable as it had been as a human made him laugh with joy as he made his way ' _stealthily_ ' towards the beginning of the course to run it again the same as the rest of his fellow cadets. About halfway there he switched his positioning tucking his legs under him, and stretching out his forepaws to try belly crawling that way, and it was as easy, and effective as he remembered it looking.

For shits, and giggles he even, pretending he had a suppressed Windurger No. 2 tranq pistol, put his paws together as if targeting the moving figure of Cadet Wilde, and did a few side rolls before he stood up on all fours and with his tail wagging walked the rest of the way to the start. Once there he stopped and first stretched out his front end in the classic tail in air yoga position before he stretched out his hind legs, and his lower back.

"I Hope You Know I Caught Most Of That On Camera Feral." Sergeant Furschia shouted at him, and he turned to see she still had her phone in her paw, and was grinning broadly.

"Give Me Black BDU, A Black Eyepatch, And A Tranq Pistol And I'll Cosplay For You." He shouted back before declaring "I'm Cheating!"

He then took off on all fours down the course going for a speed run incorporating as much forward diving, and belly crawling as needed to get around the obstacles, and other cadets in his way. For his effort he wound up taking back his position at the head of the class, not that he was trying to, though once he had completed his second lap the Sergeant told him to wait. She then shouted for the rest of the class to hold up once they'd made it off the course.

"Alright, now that everyone's out of the way, I want to see you do that again. Okay, Feral." She said to him once the course was clear adding as she swiped at her phone "It is cheating, and I will be timing you"

"Okay" He said to her getting up from where he'd sat, and trotting over to the start of the course.

He stopped once he was in front of the tires, and crouched ready to bolt only long enough to build enough tension before he sprang forward his initial leap clearing half the tires, and his next leap putting him over them completely. Now without anyone to weave around, and having been over the course twice, he was able to put almost his full speed into it. It certainly didn't hurt that he was clearing the hurdles, and other obstacles not as they were intended to be cleared. As he reached the end of the course at a run he jumped in an arc over the 'finish' landing in a solid pounce.

"Two And A Half Minutes, Feral." The Sergeant shouted out to him adding "Too Bad We Can't Make It Official. Go Show Me You Can Do That Like A Normal Mammal."

At that having begun to make his way towards her, he turned and loped over to the beginning. This time though when he stopped, and crouched it was so he could go from all fours to on his hind legs using the least effort. Bending his knees, while keeping his back straight, he again built up a little potential energy before he began moving.

Having to do it mostly vertical made the course more challenging, but not in regards to the tires ironically, no what got harder were the hurdles, and other obstacles particularly when packed together. He had simply run under most of them before if he didn't leap over them completely just to change it up, but now they slowed him down considerably and it was frustratingly obvious to him, but that only made him want to practice it more.

Just as he was turning his growing frustration into determination when he reached the last of the cluster of hurdles he missed the jump, and his left hind paw caught it. He managed to save himself as he fell by tucking into a roll which he then sprang out of shrugging off having faltered.

"Four Minutes Twenty Seconds, Not Bad, And Nice Save." The Sergeant shouted to him as he finished.

"Donde esta la agua?" He asked her in response panting once he'd gotten close enough to not have to shout back.

"Water trough is that way." She answered pointing to the side of the Barracks building before turning to the rest of the class and telling them as he trotted off "I Hope You Liked Your Taste, Now Get Back To It."

As his back was turned he didn't see who spoke, but he heard a feminine voice that reminded him of Princess Leia in a way with the concise delivery of the words only with a slight Russian accent say resolutely "Ma'am, I want a shot at his unofficial record."

"You do . . ." Was all he heard of the Sergeant's querying response before he passed out of earshot.

He was careful not to overfill his stomach as he drank once he reached the as advertised water trough which was fed via gravity from a fairly sizable tank. As he sated his body's need for hydration he thought about why it would be set up like that, and not fed through the normal utilities network, and all he could really think of for a practical reason had to do with adequately having a ready supply of water for an elephant who would need gallons at a time especially on a hot day in this place.

On his jog back he thought about that, how looking out at his fellow cadets there wasn't a single elephant, or hippo. While there certainly were a a good pawful of prey species the largest mammals present were the two male lions, and male tiger next to Sergeant anyway, followed by the lioness, and tigress.

He was about halfway back when he saw that Reed was heading the way he'd come, and the cheetah as they passed said to him "She got close, but she couldn't beat you."

"Who?" He asked back curious since he'd had to miss it.

"Frost." Reed answered him just before they passed out of each other's range.

That was food for thought, matching up that voice with said snow leopardess who already was attractive enough as a female with white fur as it was. The conclusion he logically came to was that she was from the outset out of his league, or at least at the very edge if he was really lucky.

When he got back to the course everyone had gone back to running it, including Cadet Frost who he now looked for, and spotted using the same sort of methods he had. Pausing to watch her he couldn't help wondering if that was what he'd looked like.

"I don't know for sure what you did Feral, but I think you have a new rival now in Frost." Sergeant Furschia commented to him.

"Do I? What was her time?" He asked her in response stretching his right arm over his head, and leaning left before doing the reverse with his left arm.

"Two minutes, fifty seconds. She seems determined to upstage you on whatever sneaky soldier act you were playing at, and act like a civilized mammal while doing it." Sergeant Furschia answered him.

"Oh, does she now? That makes things interesting. She's had more practice with the civilized thing though, so while she'll win that contest she won't win the Feral one." He responded with a grin, the thought of the challenge getting his ears erect, and his tail waving like a flag in excitement.

"Don't go getting a boner, Cadet." She told him jokingly.

"Hah." He couldn't help scoffing at that before saying to her "I'm not nearly at the point where I'd start looking at anyone like that yet. I may have gone without sleep, and be running on being active, but it was worth it."

With a grin he added "Fair warning Ma'am I find white fur sexy, so you're not off the radar; if you're single anyway."

He then before she could really respond jogged off to run through the course some more practicing staying bipedal. At least he tried anyway, with how the clusters of hurdles slowed him down he began to do what he had to on all fours to get through all of the course except for them. At each set he would end a leap standing upright then bending his knees into a jump carrying forward his momentum so that even as he had to plod through them he didn't waste time elsewhere on what he'd proven wasn't really a challenging course any other way, for him anyway. Slowly around the point he was on lap five he felt like he was getting the hang of jumping over the hurdles bipedally. Just as he was finishing his sixth lap at a loose trot on all fours, and his tenth overall the Sergeant called them all in for a half-hour break.

"Did you really say to me what I think you did, Cadet?" She asked him once he was within earshot.

"Why not, ma'am?" He asked her as he stood up on his hindpaws.

"Did you mean it?" She asked him seriously.

"Yes, I meant it. I wouldn't mind sharing a drink with you, I bet you know some mellow bars, good for a pint, and not idiots shouting at a screen." He responded plainly.

"The Shield, or nothing Cadet. The Shield, or nothing." She told him in reply adding "You earn yours we'll share a drink."

"Sounds good to me, Ma'am." He said with a nod in agreement.

"Did you seriously just ask out our drill instructor, Feral?" Wilde asked him incredulously adding "How many screws loose do you have? I guess it's crazy like a wolf now, not a fox."

"No, I merely told her a fact then elaborated my sentiments." He answered tactfully before joking with him "It's Hungry Like the Wolf."

"It wouldn't be that kind of drink Stick; I am a professional, and also married." She added to the tod before telling him "Thank you for the compliment though."

"Again, just stating a general fact, but your welcome." He replied with a nod, and a shrug.

"What'd you tell her then Feral? If it's a general fact." Reed asked him with a grin.

"White fur is sexy." He answered him plainly.

"What?" Wilde asked him caught off guard, before his eyes widened in realization then narrowed suspiciously.

"Oh-kay . . . I can't exactly argue with that, I know a really pretty white lioness." Reed responded rubbing the back of his neck with his right paw.

"White fur is sexy, huh?" Swift asked, having overheard, looking up at him unavoidably exposing the white fur of her throat.

"In particular yes, but that isn't to say other fur colors, and patterns aren't sexy in their own rights." He told her, looking her in the eye, and making sure she at least understood he was serious.

"Yet, you have white fur." She pointed out with a grin.

"I know, homoerotic isn't it?" He asked with a jovial grin as he jokingly ran his paws over his chest exaggeratedly groping himself.

When his antics got quite the laughter out of her, and Reed he couldn't help joining in, and as they calmed down Wilde asked him "Be straight with me, Cousin; are you flirting with me to flirt, or just to fuck with me."

"Damnit, I wanted to keep the game up a little longer, it's been fun teasing you with the truth; ya got me." He responded with a chuckle

Wilde was silent a moment at that, looking like he wanted to say something then thought better of it, before asking him "Just teasing, huh?"

"Really, really." He answered him adding before he used the full length of his tongue to lick his muzzle "I know vixens to be tender, and _de_ licious."

"Oh Really?" Wilde asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Om-nom-nom-a-gone." He responded proudly with as fangy a grin as he could manage without looking like he was snarling.

"So you like using your tongue?" Swift asked him teasingly with a light chuckle at her own innuendo.

"Love." He corrected her before saying with all honesty "I love to use my tongue. As Freud would say I have an oral fixation, Hardcore."

"Of course _you_ do Feral." Sergeant Furshcia commented a little sarcastically having been simply observing them before adding jokingly "How come you don't sparkle?"

"You know those books were a lot funnier than the movies, and The Host had an interesting Sci-Fi premise that the movie ignored because as a writer Stephanie got type-cast." He responded nerdily before telling her "The truth is a lot stranger than the fiction, or rather what's the famous line? It is out there."

"I can believe that, Feral." Sergeant Furschia responded with a nod.

"Really, you've read those books?" Swift asked him curiously, looking genuinely surprised by the fact.

"You could lock me in a book store, and I would starve to death, but die happy. A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." He answered her plainly.

"Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you." Wilde responded giving him a nod which he returned.

"A wolf, and a fox quoting a Lannister, for shame." Swift joked with them with a giggle.

"I have a soft spot for cripples and bastards and broken things." He responded again paraphrasing Tyrion before saying "Well, more accurately I have a soft spot for the rejected, and ostracized; the unwanted. We're crew mates on the same ship in that regard"

"You unwanted? I find that hard to believe." Swift said to him her tone making it clear she found him easy on the eyes at the very least.

"You know nothing Cadet Swift." He told her in reply adding by way of explanation "I've gotten more tail between two vixens, and an arctic bitch in the past month than I ever did where I was before… I got this second chance. And that's just that side of things."

"That's another reason you like foxes isn't it?" Wilde asked him curiously.

"It plays into it." He answered with a nod.

"So, you like smaller females?" Swift continued her somewhat pointed inquiries.

"Yes Tiny, and you are sexy. Is that the truth you were looking for? 'Cause it's the truth there is." He told her bluntly before adding "So what? Tigresses are sexy too"

In afterthought he rhetorically asked "What male, or female isn't into sexual dimorphism in one way, or the other?"

"I can't argue with that, _Feral._ " Swift responded looking up at him, and while her muzzle expression stayed even, her tail, and the rest of her body language spoke volumes about the fact she did find him attractive.

"I need a sign that says 'This Unit is defective. No Romance. Good for everything else'." He said with a resigned sigh, and a short laugh as he lifted his paws as if holding it; as the words replayed through his ears he couldn't help musing "Better, a shirt with a robot holding the sign behind a display case… the tin-ma… mal.. perhaps. I'll have to talk to Veronica about that later."

"You wouldn't mean Veronica Noble by any chance?" Swift asked him curiously with it clear she expected to be wrong.

"How do you know Veronica?" He inquired back curiously.

"She's one of my favorite Zootubers, I love her art." Swift responded before asking back "How do you know her?"

"We were neighbors of a sort, and are friends. I made her dinner last night." He answered carefully, not willing to just share Veronica's information given her online presence, before asking Swift "I didn't know she was on Zootube, what's her channel?"

"VeritasNikeComics." Swift responded before asking coyly "So _that's_ who you smelled like earlier?"

"Was already going to join her Pawtron once I get the chance, I'll have to give her a sub too. Veritas Nike huh? The Victory of Truth?" He half said to Swift, half mused, before answering her with an amused grin "What part of I made her dinner seemed Greek? Again this unit is defective where a heart is concerned, but good for everything else."

"Actually her idea for the channel name was Truth and Victory through Comics." Sarah explained before complimenting him "You must be a pretty good cook."

"Like I told her, I am merely a passionate amateur not trained professional." He told her before with a smirk as the idea struck him he gave her a formal bow saying "Watashi wa das Ulfherz, incubus incarnate, at your service."

"Somehow I'm not surprised you'd do something like that, Feral." Reed commented to him as he straightened back up.

"So what is it then Feral are you a machine, or a demon?" Wilde asked jokingly with a laugh.

"An incubus?" Sergeant Furschia asked him curiously.

"An incubus, huh? At my service?" Sarah asked him as if he'd just dealt her a good paw of cards.

"Everyone knows the lies the _monotheists._ " He spat the word as if the taste were vile as he responded to the Sarge first "Propagate about _My Lilit_ , while I am forgotten which is fine, but we do not bring disease, and _we do not devour young._ "

He then turned to Wilde, and said to him almost bitterly spitting the words "How would the lyrics go? Here's to being mammalian, cast out and neglected, all the pain and suffering, there's beauty in the bleeding, I Am Machine. To paraphrase Three Days Grace."

"I am nothing if not a noble daemon Maverick, and within reason Swift, but yes I am at your service." He then said to the two cheetahs.

"Your Lilit?" Wilde asked him sceptically.

"Ah, I get it. You're the male version." Sergeant Furschia said before telling him "If you're anything to go by than you really had it right Feral the truth _is_ stranger than fiction; if there are any more mammals like you, with your sort of caliber, I wouldn't mind letting 'em through the gate."

"She is my sister, and I love her, Cousin. You know her better by a different name, or rather title, but that's better left unsaid." He answered Wilde honestly, and seriously before telling Sergeant Furschia "Ma'am, though there are more like me, I can't guarantee you'll find any quite like me. Most of us though who know what we are value life a whole hell of a lot more than most normal folks, that I can tell you. Because of our nature ethics is important to us."

"Which is why you are glad your life debt to who you owe it has increased, and why you're here." Sergeant Furschia stated adding with a nod "That'll do for me, Feral, I'll take your word for it; you've earned that much trust."

"Now, hey." He responded quickly "Don't go trustin' me farther than ya can throw me; I may be noble, but I'm still a daemon."

"How much do you weigh, Feral?" Sergeant Furschia asked him seemingly out of the blue.

"One-fifty." He answered her plainly.

"Oh, yeah, I can throw you a good ways." Sergeant Furschia said nodding to herself before telling him "With that sort of honest streak you're not doing anything to change my mind."

"Can I at least have water, or snow to land in?" He asked her hopefully with a wag of his tail.

"What are you doing?" Wilde asked him as if he were being nonsensical.

"More like why are you doing it?" Reed asked with a chuckle adding "If she's a mated mammal?"

"No, more like how is it working?" Swift corrected them.

"It's called make the most deadly mammal you can your friend without being a total bitch. Prison 101." He told Wilde, and Reed before saying to Swift "That is the question isn't it."

At that the Sergeant genuinely started laughing much to his, and everyone else's surprise. As she caught her breath she said to him "Without being a total bitch… haha… you think I'm the deadliest person here, wouldn't that be you?"

"Uh, No." He told her flatly, with a frown as she made him think to say things he really didn't need to in response, before he said "Is it possible to kill with a nature like mine, yes, but that is as anathema to me as predation upon your fellow mammal is to you; also I'm neither strong enough to do that, nor am I willing to try to become that strong. You still have the higher base lethality."

"Er… correction." He couldn't help adding gesturing to Wilde "I technically could kill him right now, I'd just have to put my all into it . . . needless to say just because that is technically possible, doesn't mean I'd ever do that. I'd actually sooner shoot you in the head with a rifle, skin you with a combat knife, and make some jerky. Like I said most of us value life a whole hell of a lot more than normal people do."

"So you could kill me, but you would never do it?" Wilde asked him commenting "I don't know if I should be relieved, or not."

"We could just as easily be talking about me biting off your head, or the Sarge biting off mine, or hell you biting the head off a rabbit; the conclusion is the same - while technically doable, such an act is so unconscionable as to be completely undoable barring the most extreme of circumstances." He told him with a grin at the horror on the tod's muzzle when he said rabbit, feeling his point was getting across, before he promptly sat down cross legged and now eye level to Wilde said "Allow me to explain this in the easiest to understand words I can, so hopefully no one gets any wrong ideas. For most mammals chi flows into, and out of them naturally, and they are oblivious to it, like a fish is oblivious to water. These ones in the middle, we call mundanes, or the unaware. Then on the one paw you have those who are natural well springs of chi, and they too can be oblivious to it. The way of nature is balance, and so opposite those well-springs you have the mammals like me, who have a need to consume chi. We cannot afford to be ignorant of our nature's, because most can weaken, and die from starvation, if not lash out at others which is equally bad, but thanks to monotheism, and the rule of the unaware many are ignorant of what their nature really is."

"You could die?" Swift asked interrupting him when he paused to take a breath.

"The subtle, and physical bodies are enmeshed, one weakens, and so does the other. However, Me? No. I have an advantage over others like me, in the chains that bind me into this vessel. Starvation for chi will not kill me, but I will become as blind to chi as any mundane. It is not pleasant." He answered looking up into her muzzle before turning back to Wilde, and finishing his explanation "I can technically kill you, and anyone smaller than you, heaven help Little Rodentia, because there's a baseline to how much chi a given sized vessel can hold - the smaller the form the less it naturally holds. Why the Sumerian lie of us devouring children is so abhorrent to me . . . To be clear, in this day and age with the internet anyone can learn what I know, and while you too could learn the Force Absorb like a Jedi, only one such as I could show you a real Sith Force Drain. That said, since anyone can learn, and misuse the knowledge; we take care to only teach those like us should they need it, and we hate posers like you wouldn't believe - besides the fact they give us a bad wrap."

"What exactly would you teach?" Sergeant Furshchia asked him curiously.

"Ethics for a start. How to keep your fangs to yourself. The necessity of self control." He answered her simply having to lean a bit just to look up into her muzzle.

"So earlier, that was what, a Force Absorb?" Segeant Furschia inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I was trying to prove a point, and you are much larger than me. That was the best Force Drain I could manage; I am not that strong, nor do I need to be." He explained before turning back to Wilde saying "That actually brings up a good point, the size difference. If the Sarge here had a nature like mine she could kill me about as easily as I could kill you, from here without touching you in a way science can't prove. At the same time, a vixen say, with this nature poses no threat to either of us. Now a mouse with this nature, that'd be a trip, they could master the force drain to kill other mice, and hardly pose a threat using it on anything larger, unless they were real focused about it, and went solely for the heart… This is why ethics is important, and like I said us using our nature to kill is anathema - we need the living to maintain our own lives, they're of no use to us dead, and they're of much better use if we help them flourish. Also you really want to kill someone the old fashioned more traceable ways are by far easier."

"Of much better use, huh?" Swift mused before asking him "So how much do you need to take when you feed?"

"Yeah, that's why I said the truth is stranger than the fiction, among other things." He responded as he turned to her before he scrunched his muzzle scrutinizingly up at her asking "You like to read the fiction, right? That's how you knew to put that question that way?"

"You could lock me in a bookstore, and I'd starve, but die happy too." Swift responded before asking him "How else would I have worded it?"

"Fair enough." He conceded to her before adding "I'm just not used to… hearing that question, or really any question like that."

He then answered her "Not that much. A full night's rest and you would be back to normal, maybe two."

"Hm, good to know." Swift said to him thoughtfully as she crossed her arms while her tail danced as if she were plotting something.

"I don't always have to reiterate the rules on fraternization, but when I do I keep it simple. Don't do anything you can't hide with a scent neutralizer." Sergeant Furshchia said to them plainly.

"Duly noted ma'am." He responded before adding with chuckle "Now I'm really glad I've got a couple bear sized cans of Scent-Away."

"You do? You came prepared, or what?" Swift asked him teasingly clearly amused.

"Feral, why does that not surprise me?" Sergeant Furshcia said to him rhetorrically.

"I came prepared to starve. A few months is nothing compared to a few years, especially when I know I have willing donors as soon as I'm out of this place." He responded to Swift flatly, catching her off guard, before saying to the Sergeant "They were on sale, it was a good deal, and hey I didn't reek nearly as bad as I could've this morning. Well… I like the smell, but I'm a perv, so yeah..."

"That is definitely true, you could've smelled worse, and are a perv." Wilde said as he nodded agreeingly.

"You came prepared to starve?" Swift asked surprisedly.

"Before I wound up here, with this second chance, I had been starving for chi for over a decade. I'd rather not go back to that now that the streak has been broken, but if I do, oh well… That'd just be par for the course." He answered her with an indifferent shrug.

"Wait… so you… You. Went over a decade without… any?" Reed asked him looking flabbergasted.

"You're bullshiting." Swift added.

"No… that one was..." He scrunched his muzzle trying to remember the time difference between his last time with a human female and what was roughly his last human memory "Seven years . . . I can't really remember for sure. Either way, I'm not bullshitting you, being what any female would consider attractive is something new to me."

"I find that hard to believe, Feral. You're not exactly hard on the eyes." Sergeant Furschia said to him before adding "Though it wouldn't make sense for you to be dishonest now, and about that of all things."

"Yeah, seriously, with eyes that pretty alone, let alone you obviously not being a total jerk even if you are a perv, how do you go seven years without someone lifting their tail?" Swift added looking at him as if she just didn't see it.

"Hah, as if anyone has ever cared about the color of my eyes. 'Oh, they're blue, how pretty, that's nice. next subject; who gives a fuck'." He scoffed at Swift, imitating a perfectly human reaction towards eye color, before saying "The fact that so many, fawn over them now, sometimes makes me want to gouge them out of my skull, but they're _mine_ , and I like being able to see. The place I was, wasn't a good one for someone like me, in many ways it was hell, even with it's bright spots, and it had a few. If this is heaven, I will murder, and devour to stay."

"I'm pretty sure this isn't heaven, Brother." Wilde said to him before asking "How do you grow up with eyes like that, and that attitude about them? Those are rare as fuck, take it from the tod with green eyes."

"It is heaven to me, and I noticed that, yours are quite the emerald shade." He replied before saying to him "The unredacted answer is that where I was, blue eyes are common, and though central heterochromia isn't all that common, no one ever really looks close enough to comment. Eye color is meaningless."

"Unredacted?" Sergeant Furschia asked.

"Where are you from that blue eyes in canids is common?" Wilde asked with a degree of awe.

"I'm from the place I was. It's classified; for my safety, and yours." He answered the tod making it clear he wouldn't budge on that before adding "This is my new home, a new life, and a second chance I will not squander."

"You're not ZIA, but that's classified?" Sergeant Furschia asked clearly jokingly.

"I'm really not, but that really is. I will not be at liberty, or inclined to discuss openly, or at length several matters including that one. All you need to know is I was born in Califurnia, and am an Expat who fully intends to integrate." He responded adding before anyone could ask "I already have my citizenship, the process was easier than I expected; I have a great lawyer."

"So I could ask you what sort of species you prefer to feed on, but something like you ever been to Disneyland? Is taboo?" Swift asked him, causing him to snap his gaze to hers at which she just raised an eyebrow.

"Now you're just fishing, and I'd love to go to Disneyland again someday with my new family, that would be fun." He told her grinning as she looked at him like he'd caught her with her paw in the goldfish bowl.

"Your new family?" Reed asked curiously, clearly meaning no harm.

"Yeah, I lost my old one. Mother, father, sister, aunts, uncles, my cousins including the hot ones . . . All gone." He responded matter of factly with a shrug "Nothing I can do about it, but move on, and keep living. Since I am still alive."

"Don't ask me how . . . I neither know, nor remember, nor do I particularly wish to; I remember enough of what I need to." He then added knowing the reflexive follow-up one of them was bound to ask.

"Stick, you're not wrong, out of the lot of you Feral is the scariest one." Sergeant Furschia commented before adding to him "To deal with that sort of thing… and still be able to play in the grass like a cub… you're a real resilient son of a bitch, Feral."

"I have the Cub at Heart perk, I am Indomitable." He told her looking up at her with all the exuberance certain youthful wolves were known for before he laughed darkly, and told her "It doesn't really hurt that I've lost everyone… just that there was one I didn't get to say goodbye to, who I never wanted to ever say goodbye to… and so with the hope that I'll see her again in Ulfheim, dying is the day I'll live for."

"Yeah, you're talking to Dr. Rockwell later." Sergeant Furschia commented to him with a nod.

"Seriously? Quoting Pirates, huh?" Swift asked him quizzically.

"Hashtag Team Barbosa, A bigger hat is always better, sun protection that is." He responded without missing a beat adding "Morbid as they sound, they are sound words to live by. See when dying is the day you live for, why not live with a job like this where you might just die saving a life, or at least do a bit of good while you do live?"

"If that's what you call looking at the bright side of things, I think you need to work on it Feral" Sergeant Furschia said to him.

"It really doesn't hurt you, knowing your parents are gone?" Wilde asked him concernedly.

"No it doesn't. I didn't meet my dad until I was full grown, and my mom, well . . . half of why I am the way I am is due to her, both in good ways like my knack for cooking, and in bad like how little I trust people to really listen, understand, or care even when they really do. The only thing I miss about my old life was the brightest spot in it, but Brother you haven't earned that admission, and you're the only one here worthy of earning it." He answered the tod seriously.

"The only one?" Wilde asked clearly taken aback by both his phrasing, and his tone.

"Yes, Brother. We are blood, under the eyes of the Mother, and it is a _den matter._ " He answered simply with a nod.

"So it doesn't hurt you to have lost your family, yet it's the loss of a family member that hurts you most?" Sergeant Furschia asked him curiously.

"I didn't say losing everyone was painless, just most hurt a lot less than the one, as to be negligible." He corrected her.

"Was she your niece?" Swift asked curiously adding "You seem that kind of protective type."

At that he turned towards her stonily, and with his expression like a glacier he stared into her eyes with all the seriousness of death that he could muster getting a rather cute, though scared, mew out of her before he said to her "No. She was not. Do not try guessing."

"Okay." Swift mewed again.

"Thank you, and yes I am that sort of protective. I was my family's cub-minder for the most part." He said to her softly, but warmly as his expression melted, and he did his best not to meow at her; it was a struggle, but he managed.

"Damn, Feral, now I get why even the Sarge is scared of you . . . holy shit." Reed said to him adding to Sergent Furschia, and Cadet Wilde with a gesture to Swift "Be glad you missed that look, I only caught one eye of it, she caught both of 'em."

"Says the mammal with claws capable of eviscerating me, to another mammal with even bigger claws capable of more evisceration." He said to Reed keeping his eyes on Swift before saying to her reassuringly "Koneko-nyan, I can promise you this, you do not need to be afraid of me. You have claws too, and I'd never put you in a position to need them that way."

"I'm not afraid. Didn't you say earlier bite, and scratch are starter instructions?" Swift replied with a grin that he could tell was half bravado before she fully recovered, and teased him saying "And that you're at my service?"

"I did, be careful how you use that information." He responded grinning back at her adding "Within reason, but yes. Some things I don't do."

"Careful isn't something I do very well." Swift told him as she took a step forward, and with her left paw reached forward lightly scratching along his jaw.

He couldn't help the way he leaned into her paw while lifting his muzzle to the point he shifted forward onto his forepaws effectively pushing Swift back a step his tail wagging happily.

"Some big bad wolf." Swift said teasingly as she lifted her other paw into what she was doing.

"Still a big bad wolf, your just exploiting my weaknesses to your advantage." He responded relaxedly.

"Your weaknesses, huh?" Swift asked clearly amused with herself.

"Yes, what you are doing is potentially more dangerous than you realize, but thanks to psychological reactance I will only tell you that much, chibi koneko-nyan." He said to her not exactly hiding his enjoyment when she extended her reach to include his throat.

"Psychological reactance?" Swift asked him.

"Tell someone not to think about purple chickens, and pink elephants, and they'll think about 'em. That's psychological reactance. The I'm going to touch the button just 'cause you said not to, itch that's universal." He answered her simply with a grin his voice warbling slightly as her paws moved over his throat.

"Purple chickens?" Swift asked him amusedly as she lowered her paws, and took a step back.

"And Pink elephants? Really?" Sergeant Furschia added.

"Purple chickens, and pink elephants has been my example since high-school a lifetime ago in a galaxy far far away; my friends couldn't top that, nor could they top the zesty pink taco." He responded to them with amusement of his own.

"Zesty? . . . You did not . . ." Wilde said breathlessly as he laughed outright.

"You really weren't kidding about an oral fixation were you Feral?" Reed asked with a chuckle.

"Mmm, _de_ licious." Was all he felt the need to say grinning broadly at them.

"Okay, yeah. Definitely a bad wolf." Swift said as she playfully swatted him before asking him "How did you even think of that one?"

"A taco truck drove by, and I wasn't hungry for tacos." He answered her simply with a shrug.

Reed snorted, Wilde bent over double, and while Swift giggled the Sarge commented with a chuckle "Of course you weren't Feral."

Sergeant Furschia then said to Wilde "What's so funny about that to you Stick. You look like you could use a few tacos."

"Ah!" Wilde exclaimed before laughing harder, and it took him a long moment to manage to say "I know a great taco truck that has a spot a few blocks from here; I've lived on their food."

"Los Banditos." Sergeant Furschia said with a knowing nod.

"Yep" Wilde replied nodding back as he caught his breath.

The Sergeant then, because it was apparently her schtick, shouted to the class way too close for his comfort "Alright Cadets! Break Time's Over! I'm Going To Be Nice, And Just Tell You To Go Get Lunch. Thank Feral, And Stick For Making Me Hungry."

The Sarge then turned, and started walking off presumably towards the cafeteria. Having not eaten since last night's dinner he was one of the first on her tail, but as he moved after her he couldn't help asking "So is it regular tacos, or the other kind that sounds good?"

"The regular kind, Feral." Sergeant Furschia huffed surprising him since he hadn't expected her to really hear him before adding "I have a husband; if you weren't so open already about where you stand, I'd be reprimanding you for asking too personal a question of your commanding officer Cadet; so you know."

"Loud, and clear ma'am." He responded before asking her "This is the way to the food right?"

"It is." She answered him simply.

At that he simply followed her back into the sizeable admin building. As soon as he was past the door he could smell the cafeteria, and it was all he could do to pause to stand upright instead of stalk his way to the mess hall following his nose.

"Didn't smell food this way this morning." He commented as he began walking on his hind legs.

"This is day one for you guys, they didn't need to make breakfast." Sergeant Furschia replied.

"Yeah, it would've been distracting to have known food was this way…" He agreed as his stomach voiced it's two-cents on the matter.

"What did you just growl for?" Wilde who was about a step and a half behind him to the right asked curiously.

"Yeah, that was out of nowhere." Swift added from behind him more towards his left.

"That was my stomach. I last ate somewhere between twenty-one-hundred, and twenty-two-hundred; I wasn't really looking at the clock." He answered them plainly.

"What?" Swift asked him not getting it.

"What's twelve plus nine?" Wilde asked her in response.

"Twenty-one. Why?" Swift answered him.

"That's how you figure out a twenty-four hour clock; after noon the hours go thirteen to twenty-three fifty-nine." Wilde explained to her.

"Yep, the day starts at oh-zero-hundred." He added.

"Okay." She responded.

"You'll want to familiarize yourself with the twenty four hour clock; it's how we refer to time just like the ZSDF." Sergeant Furschia said to Swift before adding to him, and Wilde "You two get extra points as the first two to show up for already knowing how to tell time the right way; kudos."

"Like I said, military otaku, and the twenty-four hour clock is just better; none of this 'is it twelve noon, or midnight?' confusion." He responded.

"It is better." Wilde agreed before adding "Though you have to admit some people don't like doing math just to tell time."

"You get used to it." He replied explaining "Like telling the time in Japan just from Pacific Standard Time as a base, heading east that's seventeen hour difference to be added to that base time, but there is a short cut. Add a day then subtract seven hours, essentially at oh-seven-hundred Pacific Standard in Japan it's midnight the next day."

"Yeah, you're an otaku alright." Wilde said to him with a light laugh.

"Seriously was that not obvious before?" He asked before adding "I can nyan-nyan for you if you want. The only other dance I know is the Time Warp; Metalheads don't tango, though Por Una Cabeza is a killer track."

"What is with you, and the damn nyan?" Wilde asked him exasperatedly before adding "Please don't if you're making the Macross reference I think you are."

"Metalheads don't tango?" Swift asked him as if this were news to her.

"Not to metal, and not that kind of tango." He responded to her before telling Wilde "I don't nyan know what you mean, Kitsune-kun, and I won't, but it's fun."

"Okay, before I ignore you to get food." Sergeant Furschia said as she led them through the doorless entry to the cafeteria "What is this nyan word you keep using?"

"It's a Japanese onomatopoeia ma'am." He responded succinctly before he stopped talking to get a good whiff of the fields of scent before him.

"For a cat meowing." Wilde clarified adding "It's a trope of moe feline characters to nya when they speak, because it's cute."

He couldn't help smelling Wilde's sudden spike of nervousness as he took a deep breath so he could relax, and not run to the nearest stack of trays which they were headed towards, and pile it with as much as it could possibly carry, and he turned towards the tod in time to see him look around carefully then sigh in relief.

"So you're doing it to be cute Feral?" Sergeant Furschia asked him before she started laughing heartily apparently finding the idea hilarious.

Like hell was he just going to admit he was getting out the little nyas to keep the trump card hidden, and so he agreed with her "That is part of it."

"Part of me isn't surprised Feral, part of me . . ." She stopped to loose another amused laugh before she got back on track "Can't help find the idea absurd . . ."

"That is the other part. I am fond of that sort of ridiculous humor; that sort of expectation subversion." He said with a light laugh of his own before adding "Altana vult."

"Alright, I'm ignoring you to get food, you should do the same." Sergeant Furschia said to him as she reached the trays first, and grabbed one sized for megafauna.

"Happy Hunting." He responded good naturedly as he went for a tray that reasonably was meant for a lion, or tiger.

The mess hall was split, as far as menu options went, pretty evenly between \various vegetation for the discerning herbivore, and a variety of poultry, and seafood dishes for the equally discerning carnivore. His first stop was one of the salad bars where he skipped everything, but the spinach, carrots, olives, and blue cheese ranch dressing, which he got liberal with, making a small sort of salad. From there it was one of the fruit bars where he was pleased to find fresh kiwi in particular, and he didn't hesitate to load a good third of his tray with a mix of everything like a giant fruit bat without wings.

The incidentals of a balanced diet taken care of he journeyed over to where the smells were, mostly, the best. Fitting two smaller plates on what surface area was left on his tray he did his best to pile them with as much as he could. One plate ended up looking like an odd fort with a turkey burger plus fries for a keep, and a stacked variety of chicken sausages for outer wall. The other was a loose pyramid of chicken parts that had either been fried, or grilled, and covered with different sauces.

Satisfied he had enough food to make up for breakfast, and then some he looked around for Wilde who he wanted to sit next to. Spotting the empty table where the fox was sitting, just as the tod was setting his own tray down, he turned his feet that way, and made his way over.

Reaching the table he set his tray down across from Wilde's, who had already started on his own turkey burger, before he then sat on the bench opposite the tod. No sooner had he sat, than it seemed that mammals with a similar idea to him joined them at the table with a jaguaress sitting to his right, and the pretty boy sitting to Wilde's left. He couldn't help watching the pretty boy as he sat, and as he got a better look at him he noted that there were grey roots to the blond of his fur which out of the sunlight took on a more sandy hue. He also noted before he turned back to his food that the wolf was likely barely past the twenty-one age minimum for enrollment in the Academy.

"You know you could sit next to us, you don't have to sit over here." One of the she-wolves he'd been purposefully doing his best to ignore suggested to him friendlily, but it was there in her undertone that she meant ' _next to the fox_ '.

He couldn't help pausing a moment over her words just to process that she'd said them, and also look at his food which he wanted to eat never mind who the fuck was next to him so long as they let him eat, something she was interrupting him from doing. Turning towards her he looked her dead in the eye, another thing he'd been avoiding from doing with the she wolves in particular. He did his best not to skewer her with his gaze as he made sure her eyes were on his before he spoke, but it was there in his voice.

"No, I don't have to sit _here_ , but I don't have to sit over _there_ either." He admitted before he grinned at her disarmingly as he asked "You are?"

"I'm Kelly, Kelly Pine." Cadet Pine introduced herself with her tail doing a sort of half wag as her eyes widened slightly as she clearly got her first real look at his eyes.

"Well, Kelly you can call me David, and do you want to know the difference between right here where I already am, and over there where you're gonna go?" He introduced himself back his grin spreading into an honest smile.

"What?" Cadet Pine asked curiously.

"The fact that it's right where I want to be." He told her his tone like an iron wall falling into place as the verbal trap he'd got her with was sprung, and he let her have it "I wouldn't be here, and would probably have starved to the point I ate someone out in the TundraTown woods if it weren't for a pair of vixens who are truly Daughters of the Mother. I would rather sit next to my brother here than sit with any wolf who cannot see all canidae as the family we are. Plus I'd rather flirt with this pretty kitty to my right than you."

He then paused to let that sting set in before he quite easily, and purposefully shifted his muzzle looking at her as if she were food eying her up, and down both to genuinely get a real look at her figure, and to enhance the effect.

With that she quickly turned, and silently walked away with her tail between her legs. He couldn't help feeling, as he turned away back towards his food softening his features, like he'd gone a little too far, and been a little too mean with her at which he frowned thinking about it.

"Did you even leave her a stump to wag? I've heard, and _seen_ some tails get bitten off, but damn . . ." Cadet Wilde commented before saying "I'm Nick by the way, David. Did you really mean that though, what you said about those vixens?"

"It is the truth. They are daughters of the mother." He told Nick simply, the tod's question distracting him from thoughts on apologizing to Kelly later.

Done talking for the moment he fell on his lunch as if taking his hunger out on it. The turkey burger was gone in a pawful of bites, and the fries joined it as if he were merely tossing them down a chute though he did chew them.

"Did you even taste that? or _enjoy_ it?" Nick asked him having barely made his way through half his own burger before saying "I feel sorry for that burger."

"Oh, it was delicious; I'm just making up for the breakfast I skipped." He responded with a chuckle.

"I can believe that." Nick laughed in reply taking another bite of his burger.

"So you really don't like she-wolves, huh?" The wolf who looked like he'd had his grey fur blonded asked him with his implication clear.

"Oh, I like she-wolves just fine, a she-wolf is the reason I skipped breakfast." He told him with a grin as he licked his muzzle showing off his tongue before adding "But I'm more interested in others than any of them. You're a coywolf aren't you?"

" _Yes_. My name is Eric." The coywolf responded a little defensively over his hybrid status.

"Well, Eric I'm going to tell you two things." He replied friendlily "Nice to meet you brother, and if you ever want help washing your back I'll lend you a paw."

That seemed to startle Eric, and the look of confusion on his muzzle combined with the way one of his ears went crooked while the other stood erect was truly priceless at which he couldn't help grinning as he explained "You have pretty fur, and I know how hard it can be to reach between your shoulders; I also know how awesome it feels when someone lends a paw."

"Really? You'd rather flirt with me, huh?" The melanistic jaguaress to his right asked teasingly adding "You weren't just saying that to get her to go away?"

"Oh I said it to make her go away, but it's the truth. You, and Frost are the two hottest females here; why wouldn't I flirt with you? How else would I convey to you that I do find you attractive?" He answered her plainly.

"Really? You think me, and her are the hottest one's here?" She asked raising her eyebrow.

"You must not have heard me say white fur is sexy, and while that word is apt for Frost, the word for you is allure." He responded sincerely before asking her "Cadet?"

"Cenote." She answered him as her scent spiked at his compliment before she added "My name is Azure, David."

"You're Cenote?" He asked his ears perking alertly, and his tail rising to wave happily like a flag before he said to her "I'd hoped when I'd heard the Sarge call your name that you'd be female 'cause your surname is that sort of pretty. It is my pleasure to meet you Azure, and can I just say damn you have a beautiful name."

"Wow, Feral, didn't realize you have a cat fetish." Swift said to him as she sat to Eric's left while Reed walked around to sit across from her, to Azure's right.

Swift then added to Azure "I'm just a little jealous, you got that sort of look out of him, and all you had to do was tell him your name, Azure is it?"

"It's called Cat Scratch Fever, and I am an Active Carrier." He corrected Swift with a pervy grin before saying to her "What's you're given name then?"

"Sarah." She responded before asking him back "What is yours, or would knowing that give me some sort of power over you?"

At that he couldn't help laughing before he explained "One, you reminded me of someone I knew, and her name was Sarah; that is just too uncanny. Two that is totally fiction, people get confused about that because names are supposed to have meaning, and that meaning is usually significant in some way, but that actual practice has fallen to the wayside overtime."

"You for example Hime Koneko-nyan." He continued starting with her "Your given name like mine is Hebrew, yes Jewish, and means Princess, and translates seamlessly into Japanese; making you the Swift Princess. Azure here, is Blue… open water cave… where water is purest... the definition of Cenote may be lackluster, but have you seen one? I am David, which means Beloved, and my last name means Wolfheart. He is Wilde the Victorious One, or perhaps the Victorious One of the Wilde. Eric what's your last name?"

"Mesa." The coywolf responded.

"Then by name meaning you are the One Ruler of the Mesa." He said giving him a grin before turning to Reed, and asking him "How 'bout you Maverick?"

"Thom, Rushes." Reed responded a little reluctantly, with a slight frown as if he expected them to make jokes that never came.

"Thom? Hang on, I know the meaning of that one… it's another biblical one… I had an Uncle Tom, and Paul, my dad was James..." He responded scrunching his muzzle, willing the vague knowledge into the fore "Gemini! It means Twin, and you are Rushes as in the Reeds right?"

"Yeah. Huh..." Reed said clearly quite surprised, though pleasantly so.

"Wait so, demon that you are, your name is Hebrew?" Sarah asked him with a slight giggle at the irony.

"Yes I know, and the irony in me taking the name Ulfherz, given my heartlessness, didn't come to me till after I'd already signed the paperwork." He responded pausing to make a kiwi disappear before adding "My mother named me for the youth who slew Goliath, and became King only to Fall, mostly for the Goliath part since I was born a runt, she didn't take into account the rest which turns out to have it's own aptness."

"Demon?" Azure asked skeptically adding "Rough around the edges, maybe, but he doesn't seem evil to me."

"I thought you hated monotheists, doesn't that rub you the wrong way?" Sarah inquired curiously.

"The truth is stranger than the fiction, Azure, not all demons are evil; what the bible leaves out, is that the word demon originates in the Greek _daimon_ which simply meant dark spirit that could be either benevolent, or malevolent; I am one such benevolent sort of demon. It's actually why I hate that damn phrase ' _The night is dark, and full of terrors_ '. The night is full of beauty, without it how could you possibly appreciate the moon, or stars?" He answered her before saying to Sarah "Gods I hate monotheism, despite the truths still in it, for all the lies it has propagated, and all the wrong that has been done in the name of the one above us all who isn't listening because of it. I do not hate monotheists, I have broken bread with a priest, who was in fact one of my older cousins; Their dogma is beyond egregious in so many areas, but not all adherents are cunts; I mean it's insulting of the souls they have the way they put all their faith in the one above us all instead of in themselves, and the way they let a mammal-made rule book limit themselves let alone how that framework for understanding reality inhibits them from comprehending contradictory reality such as me not being evil despite my daemonic nature… well the stupid limits like ' _This is haram, and that is halal, or kosher_ ' are laughable, but the framework narrowing their minds is enraging… Tonikaku demo nya, I have no problems with monotheists so long as they don't start problems with me, and will gladly call those that would be, friends."

"Really I'm the Victorious One?" Nick asked curiously, as if wanting it to be true.

"You can Zoogle it if you don't believe me. The Nick in Nicholas is the same as the nick in Veronica, it comes from the Greek word Nike meaning victory." He answered before added affectionately "Brat Kolya"

"What do you mean God is not listening?" Azure asked him hesitantly.

"Gotta admit, Feral, that is the sort of thing a demon would say… You really for real about that?" Reed added conversationally.

"You, me, any single mammal on this world is just a single plankton in the puddle that is this solar system, let alone the sea that is the universe, or the oceanic multiverse beyond that; The God above all others is behind the Multiverse at a Macro level you can't comprehend, and neither really can I from within this mortal vessel. Each level has it's Watchers - Gods, Angels, and Daemons alike; Most have followed the example, of silence, that has been set - taking the paws off approach."

"You don't though? Why?" Sarah asked him poignantly before adding "You are a fallen angel aren't you?"

"I fell in love with the beauty within mortals, and I wish to foster it, or avenge it when necessary for the lies live on; in spook terms I'm a deep operative, on deep recon." He answered her before telling her "In monotheistic terms I am an angel who came to earth during the fall, to further fight Satan's corruption after chasing him out, but in so doing became trapped, and now is without his wings. In truth, I did fall in battle against… our enemy… and gained this nature I possess, but rose again, and to this day carry on the fight for the lies live on. I can only do so much though, incarnate as I am, no different really than you."

"So even after becoming a demon you still hate, and fight Satan?" Azure asked him curiously.

"You fell in battle then became what you are?" Sarah inquired tilting her head with clear fascination.

"There's only so much you can do, huh?" Nick commented with a raised eyebrow.

"I will always hate, and fight the abhorrent lies that would have mortals hate one another for no reason, and that perpetuate unnecessary suffering. Yes, I overexerted myself, and it was either feed on the enemies that beset me, or die; you see me now the veteran of over a thousand psychic wars, as the song goes." He answered Azure and Sarah before turing to Nick "And, yeah thanks to the Gleipnir that binds me in this vessel, all I have is my nature, and my wits; it's called deep recon for a reason."

He then said to them sagely "This is merely the truth, and the truth does not require that you believe it to continue being the truth."

"So, whom do you really serve, and what are you here to do?" Sarah asked him cordially.

"If you must know I am a servant of Inanna, and I am here merely to observe through living . . . When I say that most take a paws off approach, I mean the time for the paws on approach is long since passed, and paws off as much as possible is sort of the rules; if I could break them, there are definitely instances that I would, and that is kinda all the more reason I have to follow them." He answered her honestly.

"So you _are_ a spy of sorts, but what for?" Nick asked him picking up an apple from his tray, and biting into it.

"Gone are the days when we could openly lead by example, ruling as kings, now we can only nudge here, and there letting free will play out as it will; I'm here to find out where the nudges need to happen most if at all possible. At least that's why I incarnate - better intel gathering." He answered the tod simply before adding as he went for a banana on his own tray "What's the harm in me admitting that, the chances of you thinking me batshit insane already are off the charts anyway, and even if you do take my word for it so what?"

"Old habits die hard don't they?" Reed asked him before clarifying "You could've just lent me your shoulder, and helped me limp off the track; instead you carried me. The Sarge is right, you do sure set an example."

"And in hating the lies that make mammals hate one another, you set another example, in how you're such an anti-specie-ist?" Nick added thoughtfully before asking "That plays into your liking foxes so much doesn't it?"

"It was just the right thing to do, Maverick, but you're not wrong I still try to lead by what example I can such as I am able." He said to Reed before telling Nick "I grew up loving foxes as much as I love wolves, and all other canines as well as felines; my anti-specie-ism doesn't have any import on my basic love for all canidae, and felidae."

"Love for all felidae, and canidae? Who would think a demon, albeit a lust one, would profess love like that?" Sarah commented curiously before adding mirthfully "I believe it, the truth is stranger than the fiction, and I like it."

"Or dark angel if you think that'd be more apt; I prefer daemon." He said to her adding "And I'm not soulless. A monster definitely, but not soulless, though that remains in the Mother's paws, and no one else's save Inanna herself."

"Really, _negro angelo_ , you love all cats?" Azure asked him curiously.

"And all canids? Just like that?" Eric added as if hesitant to believe him.

"Most things that are too good be true usually are way too good to be true; c'mon what's your con? What sort of long game are you playing?" Nick said to him cynically.

At that he couldn't help thinking of Evie, and how she'd expected him to react to her being a fox, so he slid out of his seat quickly stepping over to the tod whom he wrapped his arms around.

"Why are you hugging me, and are you crying?" Nick asked him struggling slightly though there was nothing he could do to get free.

"I am so sorry, my Brother . . . that they have hurt you so deeply, hurts me . . . this is why my fight will never be over." He managed to answer in a half whisper through the emotions that welled in him, meaning every word.

"You . . . you really . . . are for real . . . aren't you?" Nick responded with wonderment as he tensed before he relaxed, and hugging back said softly "Thank you."

Nick was silent for a couple beats before he said "Alright, big guy, let me go."

Reluctantly he did as Nick asked, but before he moved back to his seat he looked the tod dead in the eye, and told him earnestly "What is the best they say of wolves? That we are Loyal to a fault? It is no less true of foxes, or any other canine; the touch of the Father's, and Mother's will lives in all of you."

Looking into those emerald pools, the tod called irises, he saw that he'd managed to get through to Nick though only they showed it as he stood up from his knees then got back in his seat.

"All of us? What about you?" Nick asked him clearly trying to deflect.

"This body is that of a wolf, but my soul is not, no matter how much better this vessel fits, in it's ways; I have what you would call diplomatic exception. I don't count." He responded letting him have the out.

"All of us, really?" Eric asked him with curious skepticism.

"Why do you think it is known that any wolf can be an alpha? It is no less true of any other canid, for you are all our children - now if it was sons, and daughters, or nieces, and nephews of mine I kinda can't remember. Knowing the way things usually go it'll be the later is the case, but that's really just a trifle - my love doesn't change for that." He answered him sagely.

"What would it change for then?" Eric then asked smartly.

"Kill a cub, and see how fast I eat you alive regardless of what anyone says; in fact let them say something about it, and I'll probably take a chunk out of them too." He responded sternly his expression hardening into stone.

He then relaxed quite visibly, and added "That sort of unconscionable thing; you get the idea."

"Yeah, I get the idea; unconscionable is right." Eric replied his ears folded back.

"Well, there are situations, scenarios, where the choice isn't so clear cut, and the act is forgivable. A fair judge will tell you that no matter what the rules are, there will always be exceptions to those rules, and those exceptions must be allowed for within the rules themselves." He said, and given the looks of incredulity they gave him he explained "You can teach a cub to use a firearm pretty easily. Say you're in front of a cub with a pistol, and he, or she has already gotten off a shot at you, what do you do with the pistol in yours? Aim for the gun, or their arm holding it and you'll likely miss and give them the opportunity to not miss. Aim for the leg, and they can still shoot you after the fall. Torso is the main target for a reason, and no matter where you shoot the cub they'll die - at least not without immediate med-evac. Or what if you've cleared a building, and you've found a cub in a closet, but it turns out they have a grenade, and are about to pull the pin; hesitate, and no more you."

He then added "Never underestimate the young. They might not be as fully capable as adults, but that doesn't mean they are totally incapable of the same things. It is worse psychologically to put them through the same rigors, especially too soon, but preparing them for those rigors is paramount."

"You're not wrong, I learned to use a nine millimeter when I was twelve; I could still probably field strip, and clean one properly." Nick commented adding "You make me glad, I only learned, and never carried one; you carry a gun on the streets you're statistically more likely to die by one."

"Leave it to a demon to go to such dark places, so easily, and over food." Sarah commented jokingly though clearly bothered by the thought exercises he'd posited adding "That is some messed up shit to think about."

"When you say psychologically worse?" Azure queried somewhat openly.

"The mind develops in stages over time. There are some lessons that if you do not learn when you are two to five, particularly with empathy, and playing well with others, you will never learn them later - you can see it, in adult mammals seemingly stuck behaviorally as cubs. In this same vein there are things that if learned too soon are net negatives as well. Specifically in terms of sex, and killing - cubs exposed too soon to these things in particular, and exposed in the wrong ways, are warped irrevocably even after years of therapy if they even get that." He explained.

"There is a right way to expose cubs to those things?" Reed asked him clarifying "I don't think you mean that the way it sounds; I just want to understand."

"Cubs will become adults eventually, and yes they need to be exposed to those things in particular, but you don't just throw them in the deep end and tell them to swim - they will drown." He responded before adding "The natural way it goes, cubs fool around with each other, and that's normal; pediatricians will tell you cubs masturbate even before puberty, and that is normal. Things get screwy when adults get the idea to teach them sex is some sort of taboo, or the other worse idea. Before puberty you be honest with them about the differences between male, and female, but you make it a non-issue 'cause they're not old enough to really care about sex despite any fooling around they do; they get older you open their eyes slowly, simply by answering them honestly when they ask their questions. As for killing… there is nothing wrong with biting the head off a chicken, or beating a fish to death on a rock, and everyone should at least know how to catch, and kill their own food, but that's only sentient life. Sapient life is a whole other ballpark, and there is no preparing anyone for what it's like to kill another, even in something as conscionable as self-defence; there's only teaching them how to properly cope because there are just reasons to kill another mammal."

"You were your family's cub minder?" Sarah asked him clarifying-ly with a raised eyebrow.

"Best way to catch a pigeon is to feed it." Nick commented in agreement at least about that with a nod, before his ears folded back, and he looked like he'd realized he'd thought out loud.

"I was trusted therefore I lived up to that trust, such is my natural inclination, and my honor." He answered Sarah his voice deepening with his seriousness, before his muzzle contorted into a fang baring grin as he said to Nick "After smelling birds in the trees, and starving, it felt so good to make that chicken disappear."

"Hunger is the best sauce." Nick said with a nod before adding "I'd rather catch fish, though. People don't look at you like some kind of . . ."

"Feral bloodthirsty monster?" He interrupted with his tail wagging.

"Bloodthirsty monster?" Sarah asked skeptically.

"It is her moon time." He answered somewhat paraphrasing the lyrics to 'Wolf Moon' by Type O Negative, deepening his voice for emphasis "Let me kiss the curse away, and in lupine ways I'll alleviate the pain."

"Of course you just love that song don't you?" Nick asked him shaking his head, before telling him "More like just feral trash that needs to be muzzled, but yeah . . ."

At that he couldn't help the growl that rose out of him, though luckily with the din of the place it didn't carry that far, and it continued out of him as he told Nick " _You are not trash deserving of a muzzle you are kin deserving of an outstretched paw._ "

" _Brother_ " Nick said to him assuringly "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for someone reaching out, and showing me a better way was possible."

As Nick spoke he saw the way the tod's muzzle shifted thinking about that someone, and it spoke volumes about how much whoever they were meant to him.

"I'm not going to waste this second chance I've been given either." Nick added resolutely.

"Then we are truly in this together." He responded managing a rather warm smile he then commented having glanced at the mammals around him "It's a good thing there are six of us."

"The six of us?" Azure asked him curiously.

"Really?" Sarah added with a raised eyebrow.

"Us?" Eric asked tilting his head.

"What for?" Reed inquired.

"An even numbered group makes using the buddy system easier. I'm surprised the Sarge didn't say anything, it'd make great practice for when we have partners, or have to split off to clear a building. It's a way to build teamwork in a large group - think of the two mammal working units as building blocks." He explained adding "Who partners with who doesn't really matter, and partners can change depending on the situation, it's the fundamental principle that counts."

"Wait, hold the fucking phone. Are you serious?" Sarah exclaimed shockedly "That's why cops always work in pairs, and they're called buddy-cop films . . . holy shit."

"Who partners with who, eh? Almost sounds like your talking about an orgy." Nick commented jokingly.

"Huh, and partners do change depending on the situation." Azure added with an amused giggle.

He couldn't help laughing outright at that, and still chuckling he managed to say "If that is why, I don't know, and I'm down for one of those; still haven't gotten past two mammals at once."

"Really?" Eric asked him skeptically adding "You're not afraid to just admit that?"

"I'm a broken lust daemon; sue me. Would've settled down with a female, but that ship went out of hyperdrive into a star." He responded before saying to the handsome youth "I've got the perfect nickname for you; Rocky."

He then said to Azure "Not sure what sort of nickname would suit you; the only words that come to my mind are hermosa y linda."

"Rocky?" Eric asked his ears perking as his muzzle expression, and the accompanying head jerk said that he didn't get it.

"So you're more like a cat in that way than a wolf?" Sarah asked him before adding more seriously "Balboa, or Horror?"

"Horror, of course." He answered them both before adding jokingly "I would be the Dr. Frankenfurter."

"I am not Brad; nope." Nick responded quickly.

"Ohmygods . . . I can _see_ it." Sarah gasped before giggling happily "In just seven days you can make him a male."

"Okay, I didn't mean it like that . . . but damn . . ." He responded unable to not laugh at that, and as he calmed down he suggested to Nick "You could be Eddie, brother."

"I'll take it, in fact I know a female who could pull off Columbia's lines, if she learned them." Nick replied confidently.

"What movie are you guys talking about?" Reed asked them.

"Yeah." Eric added narrowing his gaze at him.

"You guys don't know the Rocky Horror Picture Show?" Azure asked them curiously.

"I told you, you have pretty fur Eric; it's a compliment, I promise." He assured the younger canine.

"It is, and it really fits." Sarah added agreeingly explaining "Like wow. Eric your fur matches the character, and you are definitely a fine looking male. While Feral here, gods above, I can see him owning the doctor's flair, and Nick I think you'd make an awesome Eddie."

"Don't dream it, be it." He said suavely in response.

"I have to agree, I can see you looking good in a pair of jeans, and a leather jacket, Nick" Azure complimented the tod.

"But what it is it about?" Eric asked them.

"I've heard of it, but never seen it." Reed added.

"Thank you, Azure." Nick replied to her before explaining "You'd have to see it; it's a burlesque musical of sorts with campy science fiction elements like streamers all draped through it."

"It's astounding, time is fleeting, madness takes it's toll, but listen closely . . . I've got to keep control." He spoke Riff-Raff's first line as if reading poetry.

"In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention, well secluded I see all." Azure added surprising him with her Magenta impression

"That reminds me Mr.-Metalheads-Don't-Dance." Sarah said with an apparent bone to pick with him over that "If you can learn the fucking Time Warp you can learn more dances."

"I may be a lover, but I ain't no dancer; leastways that's not the sort of dancing I do." He responded adding "I never really learned, or got the knack for it; the Time Warp is basic, but fun."

"You did not just call the Time Warp basic." She retorted making it clear ' _them's fightin' words_ '

"It's just a jump to the left then a step to the right. You put your hands on your hips, and bring your knees in tight, but it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane." He said to her much as he had Riff-Raff's line before adding "It's simple enough even I could do it. Much like the Nyan-Nyan which I will demonstrate if you wish."

"Please, no." Nick asked unhesitantly.

"You can do that?" Azure asked him curiously.

"Okay. Yes it is simple." Sarah said mollified.

"I can't say I've seen much of Macross, or that I'm really a fan though I dig it, but I can do the nyan-nyan commercial. I'm more a fan of mecha like Suisei no Gargantia." He answered Azure as he stood up from the bench then turned to her.

"You're not going to do it are you? Why?" Nick asked him protestingly, but it was too late.

"If you're going to do it, I want to see it." Sarah countered Nick, encouraging him, though he didn't need it.

Taking a step back from the table, and making sure he had the space he started by hopping on his right leg, and curling his arms to his chest almost imitating a maneki-neko sang 'Nyan nyan' then he hopped onto his left foot repeating the gesture with another 'Nyan nyan'. He then went back to his right foot singing 'Ni hao, nyan.' before standing straight then throwing out his right arm saying 'Gorujasu' followed by his left as he said 'Derishasu' while he moved his right foot over his left so he could pivot, and do a full turn finishing the jingle 'Dekurucha' with both arms spread out as he bowed slightly.

Then, having performed solely for Azure, and not caring about any other opinion he sat back down reaching for another kiwi.

"I don't know this wolf, and have nothing to do with him . . ." Nick joked even going so far as to scoot closer to Eric as if to run away before asking as he scooted back "How do you pull that off so well for a male like you?"

"Wow, okay, yeah. I'm teaching you to dance whether you like it or not. You think Por Una Cabeza is a killer track then we will tango." Sarah said to him with conviction.

"You weren't kidding about being a cub at heart." Azure complimented him, clearly entertained by his antics, before asking "You said that was a perk?"

"Huh, that really makes sense now. No wonder you move around on all fours so easily, and were the one your family put in charge of the cubs." Reed said to him with a nod.

"Yeah, it's a perk . . . from a video game . . . it gives you bonus dialogue with young, allowing you to make friends with them in a way you wouldn't otherwise." He answered Azure unable to not frown as the words came out of him longingly before he said to Nick, and Sarah "I actually really needed to get those nya's out, I feel better now, and it shouldn't be any wonder how, or why I'm good at the nya, and then some brother. Chibi-hime, I do not promise to be a cooperative student, but I am willing to learn."

He then told Reed "Well, sort of. You'd be surprised how far you get with cubs when you treat them with the same sort of respect you show adults insofar that they are just as sapient as you, with opinions, and observations that matter, and can be of import."

"What sort of video game?" Eric asked him curiously.

"I'll take it." Sarah responded with satisfaction.

"Post apocalyptic open world first person shooter RPG. That's the most I'll tell you though, or else we'll be here all day, and some of the answers to the questions you'd ask down this line of inquiry are classified." He answered Eric.

"Really that's classified too?" Sarah asked.

"Why? Is it still in development?" Eric added.

"Look. It's simpler if I just tell you it's classified, and no comment than to try explaining that if you don't think I'm batshit crazy for sharing truths about me that you don't have to believe by the way . . . well then you will if I answer those questions honestly; lock me in a fucking nut house when I'm quite sane, and can do more good out here." He told them all flatly.

"Eccentric maybe, but not crazy; definitely… how would abuelita put it? In tune with a different harmony." Azure said to him.

"You've been real with us so far; why wouldn't we give you the benefit of the doubt?" Reed commented.

"You have been telling the truth; I once dated an ocelot who was a like a female version of you only less feral . . ." Nick added rubbing the back of his neck as he admitted "Bite, and scratch really are just starter instructions for your type."

"You can say you believe me all you like. I have no reason to trust you with any of it, nor will I; especially here." He responded to them adamantly.

"So, it's more than just a _den matter?_ " Nick asked him understandingly, using the phrase not in the colloquial sense, but the vulpine one.

"It makes _den matters_ seem like trifles." He replied seriously.

"Why do I get the feeling you're not using that phrase the way it's usually meant?" Sarah asked them perceptively.

"'Cause we're not, and you'd have to be a fox, or fox-family to understand the distinction, and the discretion." He answered her simply before adding "I might as well reiterate that it's classified, and for my safety as well as yours."

"So that's what you meant when only Nick could earn your trust enough to hear about..." Reed started to ask before trailing off.

"Yes, and unless you want me to use a deathly howl leave it at that, alright my friend." He said to the cheetah, and by extension everyone else.

"A deathly howl?" Sarah inquired with curious skepticism adding "What do you have ancient wolf magic too?"

"Those are myths, no one can howl like that." Eric added with more blatant skepticism.

"Tell that to the Tundra Town packs." An older male spoke stepping up to the end of the table between him, and Nick. As he turned he noted that it was a grey-wolf roughly his size though a good two decades older at least.

"That was gonna be my line, Instructor?" He said to the wolf in black fatigue trousers, and a black TUSK t-shirt.

"Dusk, Feral." The wolf introduced himself.

"Sarge mentioned you, you handle the special training; hope you got a slot open for me. To quote Queen, I want it all." He responded with honest seriousness, his ears perking up.

"Oh, you are the first on my list, Cadet." Dusk replied with a devious grin before addressing his companions "So, you've been talking to him, and feeling him out no doubt; what's your take on the wolf who out howled every alpha in Tundra Town?"

"What do you mean? He really used one?" Eric asked as if he found the notion hard to parse.

"Oh, he used one alright, and is officially recognized as one who howls alone for it which should tell you which one he used." Dusk answered him before saying "Damn, you are pretty; I hope there's more to you under that coat."

"You told me not to guess." Sarah said to him her ears folding back as she widened her eyes at him, using the 'cute-cub-look' sympathetically, and adding "So, I won't say anything, but if I'm right . . . that's just sad, David . . . really, really sad."

"That's why he's Rocky, sir." He said to Dusk, before telling Sarah "It's now all a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. All that's left is the present here in this place worth fighting for, and Ulfheim's waiting shores."

"Rocky? Balboa, or Horror?" Dusk asked quizzically before adding to Sarah "It's more than sad cadet; I've seen the video, the sort of… mammal in that role… he was shows through to anyone looking."

"I'm just a sweet transvestite from transexual transylvania, and in just seven days I can make him a male; _my Rocky_." He answered Dusk jokingly before winking at Eric then adding to Dusk "Thank you, sir, for your discretion; I'd rather not talk about it."

"No problem Cadet." Dusk told him before saying to Eric while gesturing towards him with a thumb "Fair bit of advice, Pretty boy; usually you tell this type you're not interested they move on, but don't be afraid to punch him in the muzzle if you have to."

He then repeated his initial question to them all "I'm serious, since you've been the ones interacting with him, what's your take on Feral here? Pretend he ain't here."

"It's not like you could say anything worse about me than what I could, I hold all the condemning evidence." He added unable to not be curious as to what they'd say anyway.

"He's definitely eccentric, but . . . very authentic, and definitely a guapo lobo." Azure stated genuinely, and in his opinion generously.

"After running with him on the track, and how that went . . . I'm looking forward to graduating with him, and serving with him even if we end up in different precincts." Reed put in his two cents.

"That's right, Rushes, you and Swift here are our legacies; you've got good enthusiasm I'll give you that." Dusk responded.

"He's Maverick, sir. I told him not to run full tilt, but he just had to." He interjected.

"How bout you Swift? I hope you live up the phrase good things come in small packages." Dusk asked her ignoring him.

"Well, she proved smarter than Maverick at testing her full speed running naturally." He commented interjecting again.

"Shut up Feral, I asked Swift." Dusk told him before giving her a nod.

"You saw video?" Sarah asked before saying "I don't know what I think yet, other than I want to get to know him better; he's one of the most obviously real mammals I've ever met."

"I have connections." Dusk answered her before asking Eric "What about you Rocky? I hope you don't mind, but thats gonna stick now; especially once we put some muscle on ya."

"When I see the movie, I'll tell you if I mind, or not." Eric responded before saying "I'm not sure about him just yet, but I'm safer next to him than I am with anyone else."

"And how 'bout you, Wilde? Ya know, I'm glad to finally see a fox on this side of the gate; I've served with tod's, and vixens as worth their fur as any wolf. It makes this old wolf happy the ZPD is finally catching on to what the ZSDF, and ZIA have known - every small mammal has their value." Dusk said to Nick friendlily.

"What, there are two of you? I don't think I can take it." Nick responded clearly half serious despite his melodramatic delivery.

"What do you mean, Cadet?" Dusk asked him curiously.

"I thought I'd met someone different, who saw me as more than just a fox, and I had, but he's a whole other level." Nick answered candidly, gesturing to him, before adding "He's the first mammal I've ever met in all my thirty-two years to look at me like I'm family _just_ for being a fox, who wasn't themself a fox, and I'm still processing it that he's for fuckin' real about that."

"When it's just the two of you, Wilde, ask him about who he howled for, and you'll understand just where he's coming from on that." Dusk said to Nick before turning to him and saying "I saw in those videos of you that - Erika is it? - took, everything I needed to know about the sort of wolf you are Ulfherz, and what I've heard so far just adds confirmation. I've also seen what happened between you, and that cub, and between what's in your medical file, and the videos Furschia took today . . . You, and I are probably going to get real acquainted in the ring; so be prepared."

"Duly noted, sir. Word travels fast." He responded before asking "You're ex-ZSDF?"

"Medicaled out of Special Forces into being an M.P.; found a more useful task rearing ZPD cubs, and giving the TUSK units some much needed backbone since they'd gotten soft." Dusk answered him.

"So you saw him nearly kill that cub? What's your professional opinion on that?" Nick asked curiously.

"Oh, yeah; how the fuck are you thirty-two, brother?" He asked the tod as Nick's admission registered adding "You don't even look thirty."

"My professional opinion is that, that was pure muscle memory, and instinct on Feral's part. It was pure stupidity on the cubs part, taking on an obviously bigger alpha, the sort of thing young and dumb males tend to do; the both of them are damn lucky that young vixen called him off, and damn do I want to know what sort of witchcraft she's got." Dusk answered readily clearly most impressed with Evie.

"So what happened? I wanna see videos of Feral being Feral." Sarah asked Dusk curiously.

"Evie is the one who found me, and offered me her paw." He explained to Dusk before adding "It isn't witchcraft; I'm just an incubus . . ."

"Hmm, why is it now that you say something I can sense it?" Dusk mused adding "I'm not surprised, you do have that vibe; you're not the first I've encountered."

Dusk then asked him "Sarge go over the fraternization rules with ya?"

"If you can't hide it with scent neutralizer then don't do it; yep." He responded before asking "Really? Huh, are there just more of us localized here, or what?"

"You can tell he's an incubus? Really?" Eric asked Dusk skeptically.

"I'm a practitioner of Tai Chi, yes it is possible to feel how those like him have a subtle pull they usually are doing their best to keep in check." Dusk answered Eric before chuckling as he told him "I don't know about that, but yeah, she was a Caracal, and she had a serious bite."

"So anyone really can learn? To use chi?" Reed asked curiously.

"Yeah, it's not like Dragonball, but you can." Dusk answered the cheetah before asking him "You're gonna break that rule aren't you, Feral?"

"I make no promises, but I think I can stay within the lines." He responded already getting what Dusk meant.

"Wait, that's really the fraternization rule? Sergeant Furschia wasn't joking?" Sarah asked quite curiously.

"In a nutshell; most mammals keep to themselves, but every now and again there's one, or two like him." Dusk answered with a shrug as he gestured to him adding "Keeping things relaxed to that degree actually helps sidestep the issues more strict rules would create. Some things don't become an issue unless mammals make them one; fruit that is not forbidden is just fruit."

"And the starter instructions are bite, and scratch?" Azure added curiously as she used the claws of her left paw to lightly scratch through the fur along the back of his neck.

The only response he was capable of was leaning into her as he lowered his head, and his tail began swaying relaxedly.

"I'd be careful if I were you, doing that." Dusk cautioned Azure adding "Yeah, you can get 'em started, but which direction they get going in?"

"It's a coin-flip," He answered before almost with a whine he asked Azure "Will you please scratch my back?"

When she obligingly shifted her paw going under the collar of his shirt he couldn't help panting as her claws, even lightly as she was using them, felt amazing destroying the itch on his left shoulder.

"More like a dice roll, and you're not always gonna get a D20." Dusk responded with a chuckle commenting to him "So you're fond of felines too?"

"Cat . . . Scratch . . . Fever . . ." He replied through his panting as Azure moved her paw to get his right shoulder, and he turned while moving to the edge of the bench to make it easier for her.

"Yeah, you're gonna break that rule. No sense betting on that one." Dusk said as if commenting on the weather before offering "You want some Mil-spec scent neutralizer I can get you a couple cans."

"How much?" He asked in response insistently, adding "I couldn't find any civilian equivalents online, which is why I bought polar bear strength."

"I know a guy at the surplus depot, they're twenty bucks a can." Dusk answered the said to him "You should be good with what you got though; you run out I can toss you a can."

"So it's okay for him to break the rules?" Eric asked Dusk pointedly.

"Technically with a can of polar bear strength ScentAway he can stay within the rule; most don't come quite so prepared though." Dusk answered before explaining "You gather mammals together, certain tendencies within certain species crop up. Wolves for example tend to get in dominance fights; in fact I was more expecting to deal with that since Feral is the one to challenge for anyone stupid enough - usually it's one, or two of the felines that play musical beds."

" _Mew_." He responded to that doing his best to not move his muzzle as the little one came out.

"What the Fuck?" Sarah exclaimed.

"No way…" Reed said skeptically with a light laugh.

"Azure you didn't do that did you?" Eric asked her.

"Really, Feral; nyan, and then some?" Nick asked him amusedly.

"You did not really just do that did you?" Azure asked him as she withdrew her paw, scratching back along the back of his neck as she did so.

"It took me a minute to realize that was you in the recording; it's fuckin' crazy to hear you do it first paw." Dusk said to him incredulously.

"Ah… thank you for that, Azure." He said to her with a sigh, unable to not shake his head side to side a bit to relieve the tension before saying "Cubs _mew_ at me, I _mew_ back."

"So what would I have to do to see these recordings?" Sarah asked Dusk clearly doing her best to be seductive before she broke, and said to him protestingly with a whine "You are just not fair, David."

"Yeah, I'd like to see them too, since I only recently learned Erika has been filming me." He added before saying to Sarah "That's what Veronica said, and it's true, but in what way do you mean?"

"You're number is on file, I'll send 'em to you Feral." Dusk said to him before telling Sarah "You'll have to bug him about it. So what's his nickname for you, since he's spreading 'em?"

"Really? You don't get it? How obvious you've made…. just what kind of… " Sarah said to him pausing to whine in lieu of saying the word she wanted to before continuing "You were? You can't be much older than me, and you've been through _that_ already; just what happened to you?"

She then in clear afterthought said to Dusk "I'm Hime-chan."

"Chibi-Hime Koneko-nyan, actually." He corrected her with a grin before telling her "This is neither the time, nor the place for me to answer what I can; I do not know what happened, how I lost everyone. I only know that they are lost, and Ulfheim still awaits."

"Hm, that's what gets to me too Chibi-Hime; how a cub half my age can say something even I can't . . . the world is a cruel place." Dusk said to her before telling him "It's telling enough that Furschia was right about your honest streak since someone's been sharp enough to pick up on it. Your attitude about it . . . I haven't heard talk like that since I served, and was talking to veterans; you're sayin' 'Hi' to Cloudpaw then having a chat with Dr. Rockwell."

"Don't misunderstand me, Cadet." Dusk continued emphatically adding sympathetically "You've already impressed enough of us, we feel you have what it takes like few we ever get our paws on, and we just want to make sure you're duty fit."

Dusk then apparently 'cause the thought struck him added to Nick "You on the other paw, foxy still need to impress Cloudpaw. He is looking forward to testing your wits given your background."

"So it's true? Then when you howled, you howled . . ." Sarah said trailing off before tentatively asking him " . . . will you tell me about it later?"

"You just can't help having a heart of gold can you?" He asked her in response before telling her "I'm in room three twelve; if you, and Nick really want to know I'll answer what I can, but most of it is classified like I told you."

"Classified, huh? Don't think your Snake in the grass impression wasn't lost on me. You say you're not a ZIA plant, but you still could be." Dusk commented.

"Ask me my three favorite bands." He encouraged Dusk adding "Nope, just a military otaku; well otaku in general."

"What are your three favorite bands?" Azure asked curiously.

"In order of when they started Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and Tiger Army." He answered plainly.

"You mean Pig Floyd?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, it's Pig Floyd." Dusk added.

"The lyric is which one's pink." He told them un-amusedly before explaining "When I say classified that's what I mean, I remember things differently. No further comment."

"You like Tiger Army?" Azure asked him with clear interest, her ears perking forward.

"Tiger Army Never Die." He responded turning to her with a grin adding "Outlaw Heart is my jam."

"The lyric is which one's pink?" Dusk inquired thoughtfully as he raised an eyebrow before saying "Either way, you've got good taste in music with those first two; who're Tiger Army?"

"It's Guns, and Roses too not Guns and Rodent's; I love Civil War, and Slash covering the Godfather Theme is hauntingly amazing." He couldn't help adding before telling Dusk "They're a psychobilly band originally out of San… Furnsisco it's called here... who found their base in L.A. specifically Orange County - essentially it's the… lifework of Nick Thirteen."

"Lifework is definitely a way to put it." Azure agreed with him before asking "What do you think of his solo album?"

"I wish Outlaw Heart were on it, but I love All Alone, and Carry My Body Down. Plus In the Orchard, and Cupid's Victim were pretty good." He answered her unable to keep his tail from broadcasting how happy it made him to be talking with her about the subject they were.

"It's called here?" Dusk asked him perceptively.

"That's all I can disclose at this time. I'm not at liberty, nor am I inclined to discuss this subject further. It's classified for a reason." He responded defensively, shaking his head for emphasis.

"Seriously, Cadet?" Dusk replied skeptically before asking "What are you used to hearing San Furnsisco called then that you can't tell us?"

"It starts with just one question, that has an answer, but the answer leads to others; others with answers you won't understand. You can be trusted to never understand. The truth is the truth whether or not you believe it, and you don't have to believe it, but neither do I have to tell you. No further comment." He told Dusk his left lip curling up over the fang on that side as he visibly squirmed like his back was against a wall.

"We can be trusted to never understand?" Nick asked him looking at him sympathetically.

"Yes." He told the tod before adding as he tried to relax "It's all a long time ago now in a galaxy far far away, and doesn't matter. Today, and Tomorrow matter."

"You can't look at the past, even though you carry it, because it's the present, and future you've got to look towards." Dusk commented understandingly before adding "You have a point, the truth is the truth whether you believe it or not; those flat earthers will never be right because the truth that the earth is round is immutable."

"You like saying that don't you? A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away." Sarah pointed out.

"It doesn't make sense. Where you're from is classified, some game you've played is classified, and so is the way you remember things differently; what is that even supposed to mean?" Eric said to him.

"Suppose I told you the truth Eric, on a lark, knowing full well that you wouldn't believe me; what could I gain?" He asked back adding bitingly "I don't need your belief, I don't need your understanding; I don't need you to give two shits whether I live, or die. I broke protocol, and have dared to trust my new family - I gave Evie nightmares without even trying, or meaning to; why should I be inclined to disclose anything to you?"

He then said to Sarah "Because the phrase best fits the meaning I'm trying to convey. That's how disparate my old life, and new life are. Why I say this is like heaven, and I will fight to stay."

"You know, you let them see that they get to you, they win." Nick said to him before asking him "You broke protocol?"

"They're gonna win anyway no matter what anyone does; so fuck 'em." He responded to the tod before saying "Don't ask me why that word was the one that came to mind. I went against my instincts, and general better judgement . . . and in an odd twist of fate haven't been let down so far by my new family."

"Other than Mike having to blab what he did, and apparently Erika being a sneaky little voyeur; not that I mind the latter." He added in afterthought.

"As if you could blame a _mother_ for recording you acting like you were." Dusk said to him rhetorically, with a look as if to say 'Try it', before asking "You don't have to answer, but what sort of things have you seen that'd give another mammal nightmares with you just casually describing it?"

"You ever see live combat?" He asked Dusk in reply conversationally.

"As a demolitions specialist, yes." Dusk answered him simply.

"Well, you asked." He responded before pausing to tell everyone else "If you want to cover your ears now would be the time to do it; fair warning."

He then turned back to Dusk and looking him in the muzzle asked "You know those trailers used to haul dirt, like with a Semi?"

"Yeah." Dusk answered

"Well picture it not full of dirt, or tomatoes; it's full of sheep limbs piled so high you can see hind, and fore legs all at odd angles. Add to that the smell of rusted metal, and blood under the summer sun; warm, and coppery with that rotting red meat tang." He said to the older wolf with a smile before explaining "Believe it, or not that's one of my happier memories, the trailer was just in the background. What you won't understand is that if I'd told you it was full of dead chickens, you'd have the same reaction everyone else did."

"You're . . . not kidding about that . . .?" Nick asked him with it clear from how his nose twitched that he knew the sort of smell he'd meant.

"Nope. Why it's classified for my safety, and yours." He answered before picking up one of the sausages he'd been neglecting, and biting it in half.

"No wonder you say the place you were was like hell . . ." Sarah commented morosely.

"Okay, yeah, you say classified it means I don't wanna know." Eric said clearly repulsed as he added "How can you still eat, and talk about things like that?"

"Oh, you sweet, sweet cinnamon roll; you have no idea." He responded grinning deviously at the coywolf before telling him "I'm hungry, and nobody likes cold sausage; give it to us hot, and juicy."

"Don't . . ." Nick started to say to him as he, for emphasis, curled his tongue around the half sausage still in his paw the same way he would with a cock before practically swallowing it whole.

"... and you did. Really, you just had to do that; in front of me?" Nick asked him raising his eyebrow at him.

Instead of answering verbally, he just grabbed another of the half dozen links left on his tray, and repeated the gesture easily fitting the entire thing in his muzzle though this time he had to chew a bit before swallowing it.

"Didn't you say something about not letting them see they get to you, foxy?" Dusk asked Nick curiously before adding "You're too short to punch him in the muzzle, but you could get him where it'd really hurt."

"Hey, now; haven't you heard of philadelphia?" He asked cautioning-ly as he reflexively shifted to protect his testes.

"Isn't that a city in America?" Nick asked in response.

"Yeah, it's a city in the U.S.; what about it?" Dusk replied.

"Not the city, the concept. Why the city is named what it is, and why the name is what it is." He told them making it clear they were quite off the mark before adding "It's called brotherly love, and I mean that in the platonic sense."

"You've really seen something so horrible? I've heard of cartels doing things like that . . ." Azure asked him before adding more curiously "Do you like males too, or not?"

"I was at a tallow factory, if you know what that is; my grandfather was an independent trucker delivering industrial chemicals. A lot of my . . . cubhood summers were spent keeping him company, and helping out as best I could. How I know how to drive a forklift, and use a pallet jack." He answered her before telling her "You're lucky I like you, kirei kuro koneko, but that's the most I'm telling you about my past today, and to quote Queen again 'any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me'."

"Well, fuck . . . Cadet . . ." Dusk said with clear shock.

"And I thought I had it rough on the streets as a kit . . ." Nick commented sympathetically "You grew up in the middle of it . . . and that's a happy memory for you . . ."

"I get why you mean classified for your safety, and ours . . . that is some seriously messed up shit Feral." Reed said to him

"What are you guys talking about?" He asked them quizzically going for another sausage which he ate more normally though still made disappear in two bites.

"Tallow factory?" Eric asked curiously.

"It's where they render vegetables, or meat byproducts down for their fats for industrial purposes like biofuel. Certain criminal elements use them for body disposal because the same equipment will produce the same product out of you, or me." Dusk answered grimly.

"Huh, I totally didn't think you'd take it that way. Hehe..." He couldn't help commenting with a laugh because he realized how in his admitting what he could, they'd misunderstood in quite the direction.

"If you're thinking my grandfather delivered chemicals to help dissolve bodies you're just so wrong. Most of the places we went were winerys, and shit; I've been to one of the places they make V8 in Bakersfield." He explained to them having earned quite the looks with the way he'd laughed before saying "Damnit, alright that's really enough about my past."

"'Cause everyone's dead, right?" Sarah asked him glumly.

"They are. My old life is completely gone, and there is no way for me to go back to it; as if I'd want to. All I have is this life, now, and what I make of it. It is refreshing." He answered her eating his last kiwi as he looked over what was left, and plotted it's vanishment.

"You have about six minutes or so." Dusk said to him as he saw the older wolf check his watch in his peripheral.

"Six minutes for what?" Reed asked.

"To finish eating." Dusk responded just as he started with the salad then moved into the fruit.

Leaving only the stones from the apricots that he'd put in the pile, and a couple banana peels the only thing that slowed him down after he'd finished off the sausages he had left were the wings which took a little more effort to strip clean with his fangs than the legs.

"I half expected you to just eat the bones, like potato chips." Nick commented at about the point he'd made it half-way through the wings.

"And risk the choking hazard? Let alone bone shards coming out later if they don't lodge somewhere first; no thanks." He responded to that before murdering the last actual wing then moving on to the drum sticks left.

"You almost had me adding another reason you could be former military since you know how to eat, but your wing technique needs improvement. I notice you didn't go for the spicy." Dusk said to him, and his ear twitched as he detected a hint of insinuation at his avoidance of the spice.

"You're not going to understand me saying this, but I've overdone it with spice before, and fucked up my stomach for all the endurance to the heat I gained. I have learned the lesson." He responded somewhat defensively before clarifying "I still will enjoy me some spice, but never again like I was. I will always swear by Sri Racha."

"Hm, you favor the rooster sauce? Alright." Dusk replied with an approving nod.

"You weren't kidding about starving to the point you ate somebody were you?" Eric asked him concernedly adding "Or do you just not eat like a civilized mammal because you're Feral?"

"Seriously, it's okay David, you're not gonna run out of food here. I know it takes some getting used to." Nick added compassionately.

"I went without food for a grand total of three days; have I gone longer, and could I have gone longer? Yes." He told them with a frown adding "I wasn't anywhere near starving to that point."

"Then you just eat like that? Like it's a race, and niceties are for cunts?" Sarah asked him amusedly.

"Would've said niceties are for pussies, but yeah that's the idea." He responded to her jovially.

"For pussies, huh?" Reed asked him with a chuckle.

"Yes, for pussies. I don't know how else to describe them . . . beta cucks? If you think I mean all felines, don't be stupid." He answered hearing the sort of unvoiced question the cheetah meant.

"Had a feelin', just checkin'." Reed told him with a laugh.

"So how else would you use that word?" Sarah asked him invitingly.

"I'm curious too, how you mean that word differently than how it is normally used." Azure added her ears perking up attentively as her tail idly swayed behind her.

"You know I had a similar conversation with a few bitches over my calling them that quite negatively 'cause they were being bitches." He said to them before explaining "Where I grew up how you would refer to a weakling, too afraid to do anything, is as a pussy. A cat is a cat; anyone can be a pussy, or a bitch, or a cunt, or a douche . . . I could go on."

"Bitches were being bitches?" Nick asked him with a chuckle.

"You mean they were being cunts?" Dusk asked similarly amused as Nick.

"Bitchiness isn't quite full blown cuntery; it's like a half-step." He answered before adding as it occurred to him "Bitch is also interchangeable with Pussy to a degree."

"Really?" Sarah inquired curiously.

"Yeah, you can say 'Don't be a bitch', and mean either stop being cuntish, or to quit tucking your tail like a pussy." He explained to her.

"You don't have anything against she-wolves, do you?" Dusk asked him as if he expected to be told 'No.'

"Ask Brat Kolya what I smelled like this morning." He responded.

"He smelled like the bitch he spent most of the night stuck to." Sarah stated flatly before commenting "Never expected to find out how she smells like that."

At that Azure rather openly sniffed him then said "All I smell is him."

"Vixens doused me in a good fraction of one of my cans of ScentAway, and we've been running a lot; me is all you should smell." He explained to her.

"You planned it that way didn't you?" Sarah asked him adding "Because you're defective, and good for everything, but romance?"

"I did not, actually plan it, but my plan was loose enough everything worked out. I owe . . . my . . . vixens a degree of attention now, but that'll get sorted out after graduation, and then some." He responded with a shrug, quite hesitant to make any claim to Evie, or Lorelei, but unable to think of a better way to refer to them.

"Your vixens?" Nick asked him raising an eyebrow at him.

"Insofar that I am their sworn Champion, yes they are _mine_." He couldn't help retorting his tail rising stiffly before he explained as he relaxed "Since I can no longer be claimed, I am not out to claim anyone, but they are the only family I have."

"For the record, how old is Evie, you called her?" Dusk asked him curiously.

"Sixteen, by the time we graduate she'll be seventeen; it's Lorelei, her mom, that was nonplussed Veronica knot-blocked." He answered with a frown, making it clear how he felt about the real question Dusk had asked.

"That's what I thought." Dusk commented before chuckling "Just checkin'."

"David." Nick said to him somewhat seriously, getting his attention, before he asked "The vixens that took you in, are Lorelei who is a lawyer, and her daughter Evalyn? What is their last name?"

"I didn't say Evalyn, but yes that is what Evie is short for; their surname, and my middle name now is Sauvage." He answered the tod looking at him curiously implying the question of why he'd asked.

Nick's jaw just dropped as his ears shot up, and he looked like he'd been tased by a lightning bolt.

"So that's what the S. stands for?" Dusk asked rhetorically with amusement.

"No . . . No, way . . . I don't believe it." Nick protested, shaking his head slowly side to side, before adding "I'm gonna run into you at family reunions now."

"Say, what? So you're from, what, the english side of your family, and she's from the french side? Y'all're cousins?" He asked, unable to not laugh, or stop a bit of country accent from coming out of him.

Where he had merely chuckled with a bit of a whine in his amusement, Dusk rather mirthfully guffawed before saying to Nick "Oh, that's too bad for you foxy, sounds like you're stuck with him."

"Wow, that really is some six degrees of separation shit." Sarah pointed out.

"Y'all're cousins?" Reed repeated slowly clearly amused by his word choice, and delivery.

"Lorie looked after me when I was a kit, and she was a teenager; when I was a teenager I looked after Evie after she was born." Nick said to him, looking him square in the eye, as his muzzle expression turned serious; his meaning clear.

"I am their sworn Champion. That cub I nearly killed, started it, by pushing Evie which Instructor Dusk here can confirm since he's seen the tape." He reiterated to the tod before telling him with a shrug "You're just gonna have to live with the fact that I have, and will knot your cousin, and am gonna be the male after we graduate to take Evie's virginity."

"I can live with Lorie liftin' her tail for you, she's her own mammal, but seriously? Evie too?" Nick responded his expression staying stony.

"I promised her, and Kiera both that I'd give them what they wanted, after I'm out of this place, and on my own two feet." He explained as if it weren't an issue, adding "They know the classified things I'm still not just going to tell you, and we're all on the same page with each other."

"And what page is that exactly?" Nick asked in follow-up.

"That I'm not paying my debts to them with sex, and that it is just sex." He answered Nick plainly, but seriously, before adding "Because this unit is defective; all my scars are on the inside."

"You keep saying that too, that you're defective; what's that about?" Sarah asked him.

"It's shorthand, just like me saying my old life was in a galaxy far, far away. The bottom line is that I can't reciprocate anyone elses romantic feelings for me if they have any, and I'm not going to encourage anyone to develop those either; I am the unclaimable King of the Unliving . . . really need to thank Lucy for coining that one, makes the sad truth sound so badass . . ." He responded seriously though he was certainly amused by the title he'd gained.

"Shorthand? You mean short-paw?" Dusk asked him before adding "Nate mentioned his daughter putting it that way; you actually enjoy owning it?"

"I slip alright, fuck you, and yes the terms are fucking identical. Kudos for you, you didn't even have to google it." He couldn't help snapping at Dusk defensively before adding simply "Why shouldn't I own it? There is no mammal alive who could ever wrest the crown from me; they don't have the knowledge, or the strength of will if they have the knowledge."

"Google?" Nick asked him curiously adding "Since you remember things differently, let me guess, you meant Zoogle?"

"I meant what I said, Nick, but they are functionally the same, and yes that is the reason - I remember things differently. What sorts of things? Damn near everything, but the similarities are strong enough I manage quite well." He answered the tod before adding to Eric "And if that doesn't make sense to you either Rocky, fucking stow it, I've already said too much."

"Can you blame us for being curious? You have to know just how interesting you are . . ." Sarah said to him.

"Curiosity killed the cat." He retorted without missing a beat.

"Cadet, I get that there are extenuating circumstances given your medical issue, so I'll let that sarcasm slide, but do try to remember that I'm your superior officer." Dusk said to him evenly before asking "What do you mean they don't have the knowledge, or strength of will?"

"With all due respect sir, I'm sorry for my impropriety with you, but you earn a fuck you from me I'm gonna say fuck you. I don't give a shit, after everything I've been through, you don't like it you can fuck off. A trailer full of dismembered sheep is just the tip of the iceberg." He responded evenly before answering Dusk's question "You as a chi practicioner have the knowledge, same as I do, but you could never muster the will to do what I did when I was sixteen? Seventeen? A long time ago now, in a galaxy far, far away."

"Tell me, sir." He continued "Do you know where it hurts when your heart breaks? The emotional center there? I removed it, and that's all you need to know - I raised the blade, I made the change. Which is why I am now unclaimable, and beyond even the unliving who have a hope their hearts can heal."

"You removed it?" Dusk asked incredulously, his muzzle scrunching as if he wasn't sure he'd heard quite right.

"Without hesitation, I cut it out, and crushed it; back when I was well fed enough to do it. I am not soulless, and so no one will ever really tell the difference." He answered Dusk before adding as he turned more towards the older wolf, and slightly thrust forward his chest "Feel for yourself if you have the skill."

"So when you said you were heartless . . . you really meant it . . .?" Sarah asked him as if she could hardly believe it.

"Such a thing can really be done? Why would you do it?" Azure inquired her tone similar to Sarah's.

"Just like you, when I incarnate, I get a mortal heart with which to love mortals, while my eternal soul which belongs to the Mother of Wolves remains in her paws." He said to them relaxedly as Dusk stepped towards him, and placed his right paw upon his breast then closed his eyes. Continuing to talk so that he stayed relaxed for the 'feel' Dusk was going to get he added "I fell too easily for mortals who wouldn't ever have given me half a chance, and I was tired of it. Tired of my own weakness, I made myself stronger, and believe me I am stronger for it, but I didn't understand the cost. How my decision was the wrong one to make, because pain is better than nothing at all, but it is beyond too late for me. See, I actually failed to cut it all out, and what was left got won, and went unclaimed . . . so I am now King of the Unliving, and I never had a mate to lose to begin with."

"Mother Above!" Dusk exclaimed recoiling in clear horror adding "What the fuck possessed you to do such a thing?"

"I am my own possessing demon, by dint of being a daemon incarnate. Do you lack the will I did not, mortal?" He answered reflexively before he couldn't help grinning as he added "Now why the fuck am I comfortable admitting that to you?"

"Really, he's not bullshitting, Sir?" Nick asked Dusk adding "When did this become the land of gods, and monsters?"

"Hey, not all monsters are evil, and I am Chief Example I'll have you know." He informed the tod seriously.

"It's always been the land of gods, and monsters Cadet, most people never choose to see when everyone could if they wanted to; for most ignorance is bliss." Dusk answered Nick while he kept his eyes locked on him.

"Just because knowledge is a horror one cannot just unsee does not make ignorance bliss. For all of mortal's ignorance, and willful at that, there is a deep seated argument for . . . _destruction you cannot fathom_." He told them all descending into a vicious growl as the words came to him before his tone shifted more melodically as he added meaning every word " _It is the upholding of free will, and love for the great beauty within life in all it's chaos that has fostered the outweighing counter argument._ "

"What sort of Voice _are_ you, Ulfherz?" Dusk asked him with shocked curiosity.

"Just which side are you on, really? I think I get it, but I want to hear you say it." Sarah said to him sounding quite sure of herself.

" _I am My Own._ " He answered Dusk simply, before pausing to answer Sarah, and as the simplest words for his stance came out of him he couldn't help the tear that escaped his eyes " _I only wish to protect the beauty that will always be worth protecting._ "

"What sort of beauty? Azure asked him curiously.

"Alright, just what the fuck is going on here?" Sergeant Furschia asked, as she came to a stop, casting a shadow over Nick, him, Dusk, and Azure's question.

"Johan why do you look like a frightened cub, and Feral are you crying?" The Sarge continued airing her confoundedness at the scene before her as well as the commotion that had drawn her as she added "What the hell was that Johan? Just what did Feral tell you?"

"I'm not afraid, just horrified, and shocked as all fucking hell Sam." Dusk said to her while his tail hung limply between his legs, and that it wasn't tucked like a shield around his crotch proved his words.

"It's been known to happen, but no I was not." He denied it flatly as he managed to blink back the water that had welled in his eyes.

"Well what did Feral say, or do?" Sergeant Furschia asked looking between Dusk, and him with a raised eyebrow.

"Everything he's said so far, and then some is really true, apparently." Eric commented as he clearly was still wrapping his mind around that.

"He explained just how, and why he is a defective unit." Sarah said to the Sergeant.

"I _felt it_ , Sam. This wolf is so much more than the fur covered flesh you're looking at, and he is wounded more than even he has openly admitted." Dusk said to her before adding to him "Nate wondered as did his daughter apparently, just what you are made of Ulfherz, and now I know, but that doesn't really matter to you does it since you already know what you're made of?"

"I know, but never really have ever needed to put words to it; if you have words to put it, I'd be glad to hear them." He answered the older wolf with a shrug.

"You are made of darkness, and light . . . of such intensity . . . somehow in balance that calling you an angel of darkness would be apt despite how outlandish that sounds." Dusk said to him adding "If what you've said so far is just what you can declassify, and unredact then you had better keep classified what you haven't said."

"Believe you me, sir, I love omission." He responded before adding conversationally "Since not all of us are evil, and I am fundamentally an incubus, I prefer benevolent daemon; monotheism, and it's 'darkness is full of evil' dogma can suck my dick, and get fucked. Black, and white are evil colors to see in since there are a thousand shades of grey."

"Wait, so is he plant, or not?" Sergeant Furschia asked wanting clarification.

"He's not, but he's damn close; it's spooky, but he's missing key tells, despite the others he has, and if he really were one of them they'd have come for him." Dusk told her assuringly before adding somewhat conspiratorily "He's gonna break, and reset the bar for the Wildcard; it's a given at this point, and there's no point in betting on it."

"Speaking of tells, Dusk sir, you mentioned my combat aptitude looked like muscle memory. Why is classified, but I think you hit the nail on the head. I am keen on gaining control over that." He said to Dusk conversationally.

"Ulfherz you Feral bastard if you 'Dusk, sir.' me again, let alone submissively like that - you and I are gonna have issues. Just sir will do; alright Cadet? Or I will poke another 'Fuck You' out of you." Dusk told him, posturing his seriousness with his tail punctuating it with an almost irritated wag, before he answered more relaxedly "That's simple; we rebuild your experience in an actual ring, with the necessary precautions of course. Don't worry you're still a good week, or two from that."

"Alright, Dusk, but why did that disconcert you?" He asked the older wolf before adding "That works for me, sir, I'll trust you with the precautions which sound pretty necessary to me."

"Disconcerting is the word for it Feral; you might be the sort of Alpha who leads from the Omega position, but acting like an Omega does not suit you. To the point it rankles me as a fellow Lone Wolf, and Alpha." Dusk answered him seriously his brows furrowed tightly before he added with a frown "I don't care just how abused you've been, I will not stand for you demeaning yourself"

"Demeaning? . . ." He mused aloud with a frown of his own before he arched his left eyebrow, and lifted his ears as he asked Duck curiously "What if I were speaking to you submissively for a different reason, sir?"

"I'm not that kind of bachelor, Feral, and I'm a professional at that. Officers do not fraternize with recruits, or N.C.O.'s" Dusk responded crossing his arms over his chest.

"'Kay, but demeaning really?" He reiterated his question before adding "Deferentially maybe . . ."

"You've got a funny definition of deferential, Feral." Nick told him with a chuckle that was completely at odds with the sympathetic look the tod blatantly gave him.

"Damn right, he does Wilde." Dusk agreed before he amusedly joked with the tod "You don't even need a nickname, your last name just fits since you, and Feral are family."

"Say what?" Sergeant Furschia asked looking taken aback adding "Like literally?"

"More like technically ma'am, but yes. His cousins are the core of my new family." He explained to her casually.

"Hm? So good samaritan-ship runs in Wilde's family? Why am I not surprised?" Sergeant Furschia asked rhetorically before telling Nick "Maybe Wilde you can be a civilizing influence on Feral here."

"I wouldn't be so optimistic, ma'am." Nick responded cautioning her adding "I think he's about as civil as he can manage."

"Actually, given his timeline, and compared to his reaction during that altercation with that cub; he's made a remarkable improvement in a month." Dusk said to them before asking him "Be square with me, yes or no, you remember killing, and not just a chicken to eat."

"Oh, _yes_ , but that has qualifiers, and is classified." He answered his ears splaying back.

"Then that makes two of us, which is all I wanted to know Ulfherz." Dusk told him adding with caution "Don't elaborate."

"That actually, makes me feel a little better, sir, and I don't intend to." He responded, his ears lifting back up a bit as his tail wagged relaxedly, and he couldn't help musing "I am not alone. Well, it is one thing to ultimately be forever alone with the weight of who, and what you are; It's another to at least have friends who can understand bits and pieces."

"After everything you've said, and clearly meant Cadet . . . about valuing life . . . you have crossed that line?" Sergeant Furschia asked him surprisedly.

"You enjoyed it didn't you?" Nick asked him with a frown.

"Chickens will do, though I wanna take on an ostrich." He responded unable to keep his expression from twisting predatorily as his tail lifted excitedly at the thought of bigger game, and he added "Hell I'd be happy with a turkey."

"Some hunters prefer their shotguns, or rifles, and some their bows, but you prefer your fangs don't you?" Dusk asked him conversationally.

"I've never actually been hunting, but in terms of fowl, I'll use whatever weapon is available. The only birds I won't hunt are albatross, and eagles. Gulls are fair game too." He answered casually his expression softening.

"When you say chickens will do, Feral?" Sergeant Furschia asked him concernedly.

"My _oldest_ memory is what it's like to consume a life. Chickens scratch the same itch quite nicely, a turkey would be better, and a more fun challenge. An ostrich is just a bigger, somewhat deadly turkey." He answered her grinning at the thought of ostrich as his tail continued to wag happily.

"A somewhat deadly turkey?" Nick repeated his phrasing amusedly before adding to him "Have you even ever seen one up close?"

"No, but I saw a video once; it took three cheetahs working together like wolves." He answered the tod unphased.

"That's right it's a three mammal quarry for mammals in our size class, and you want to one-mammal one?" Dusk said to him with a raised eyebrow as if he knew the answer, but just wanted to be sure.

"Well, I'd want you for back-up, and maybe a kevlar vest, but I could do it, and not need more than a good knife. They have long thin necks, the primary target, and lethal legs like a kangaroo, so you go for at least one first if not both." He responded having put some thought into it.

"I half expected you to say you'd do it naked Feral; I'll give you that, you're not fucking stupid." Dusk complimented him before looking down at his watch then back up at him, and saying "Come on, take care of that, and I'll introduce you to Cloudpaw. Then you can tell Rockwell what you've told us, he'll consult his I Ching, and we'll see how it goes."

"Where's it go then?" He asked gesturing towards his tray before he stood, and picking it up said to Dusk "I can do it in the fur if I have to, but then I'm using different tactics, and waiting till one of them fuckers is asleep. Only having eggs in the nest would spare it; that way there remain more ostriches for later."

"It is more useful to help life flourish so that it further sustains you." Sarah commented looking up at him curiously.

"In principle, yes. Sentient life, and sapient life each receive different considerations however." He responded to her with a nod.

"This way, Feral." Dusk said gesturing with his muzzle over his left shoulder.

As he began following Dusk he heard Eric ask "What's the difference? Between sentient and sapient?"

To which Azure answered "As my Abuelo would say 'You are not a chicken for eating'. You are sapient, food is sentient."

Dusk led him over to where the dirty plates, and trays were put for bussers to cart back, and he couldn't help noting that it was placed rather obviously; he'd been too focused on food, and eating to have spotted it before.

"So this doc really consults an I Ching, or what?" He asked Dusk conversationally as he added his dirty plates, and tray to their respective stacks.

"Nah, I just like giving him shit since we're both fans of Philip K. Dick. He calls it the Diagnostic Manual something or other." Dusk answered as they started making their way out of the cafeteria.

"I was about to say, are we in the Man in the High Castle, or something." He said amusedly to Dusk adding "It's the D.S.M. five for short, in full it's the Diagnostic, and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders."

"Oh, yeah. Rockwell's gonna have fun with you, and you're gonna have fun with him." Dusk commented with a light laugh.

They were a few yards past the cafeteria entrance when he heard the Sarge shout at the rest of his fellow cadets that lunch was over. That was about all he heard though since they left earshot as they closed in on, then were in, the stairwell up to the second and third floors. As they ascended the stairs he couldn't help dropping to all fours to do it, and thus as if it were nothing he made it to the second floor landing then turned around to wait for Dusk who stayed on his hind legs.

"Who is leading who, Feral?" Dusk asked him shaking his head.

"Not my fault I know how to get upstairs faster, Ol' Dusky." He responded amusedly his country accent slipping back out.

"Now you listen here Feral, and you listen well; Ol' Dusky was my grandfather, and I ain't nowhere near old enough for that yet." Dusk said to him seriously, stopping mid step, before he added "I'm willing to believe you are from Califurnia like you say, but just where are you from to have that accent? I've been to San Furncisco, and L.A., and not heard Califurnians who sound like that."

"Well yeah, it's progressive fucks in S.F., and Holly-wierd that make folks call it Commiefornia; nobody there is gonna sound like me, and even then you're not gonna find many from where I'm from who would sound like me either. I sorta pick up accents, and they come, and go after a fashion." He said to Dusk as he resumed his way up the stairs.

"Yeah, you could smell that undercurrent in the places I went, but it wasn't that bad to me; you really don't like them calling it commiefurnia do you?" Dusk asked as he'd just about caught up adding "You still didn't say where you're from."

"Death is a preferable alternative to Communism" He responded seriously adding "To further quote Liberty Prime 'Communism is the very definition of failure. Freedom is always worth fighting for.' I am from Ash Tree, a place you'll never have heard of, and synonymous with hell in many ways; it is famous among it's denizens for being a place one cannot leave, like a death trap, only not quite as bad as Slab City."

"Liberty Prime? That some sort of directive, Feral?" Dusk asked him amusedly as he retook the lead, adding as he reached, and held open the door "I can't say I've heard of Ash Tree, in Califurnia, but I'll take your word for it."

"More like giant robot that throws nuclear footballs like a quarterback, in a video game that counts as something classified I can't talk about." He responded as he stood back up adding as he followed Dusk into the hall, unable to suppress a satisfied grin "I am from no town in Califurnia, sir, and you'd have to be from no town to get it."

"Here's the thing though, sir" He continued walking abreast of Dusk down the hall "Where I'm from is not a place I can ever return, not even if I bought a plane ticket, and went . . . Here, Now, and Tomorrow are more important. Just 'cause I can't escape my past, just like I can't escape who, or what I am, doesn't mean I can't move forward despite the burden."

"Nuclear footballs?" Dusk asked him curiously, as if he found the two words combined odd tasting, before adding as he reached the fifth door on the left from the stairwell "We have jackets Feral; I'll get you one. It is a burden though, and that is why you, just like I do, are going to talk to Rockwell. First though, let's get this over with."

With that Dusk opened the door, and striding in said to the lone feline within "Angel say 'hello' to Feral, our Wildcard this year."

"Yes, Sam sent me the same videos." The handsome leopard responded to Dusk with a light, but still noticeable spanish accent similar to Azure though her's was slightly stronger, before he stood, and holding out his paw said to him "Feral suits you, but I think mammals will start underestimating just how civil you really are, and can be."

"Now those are recordings I want my paws on; what exactly would either of you consider fair compensation for them?" He asked them, not hiding the innuendo in his tone, as he extended his paw to the leopard saying to him "No, sir, mammals are stupid, and with how civil I can be they're gonna forget that I'm Feral for a reason."

"I will send them to you Ulfherz, no problem." Dusk said to him quickly before telling Cloudpaw sternly "Angel don't encourage him."

"I'm sure you meant that quite professionally, Feral?" Cloudpaw replied querying-ly.

"Oh, no. I meant it quite unprofessionally, sir." He answered grinning at him as he released the leopard's paw.

"I see. So you're not afraid to stand out of the closet?" Cloudpaw asked him before saying to Dusk "I don't know how you think I could encourage him, and yes he is most definitely the Wildcard this year; this should be fun."

"More like the coffin, and fear is the mind killer" He corrected Cloudpaw jovially before commenting to them "You keep calling me that, it amuses me since Wild, or rather Sauvage is my middle name, and we already have a Wilde who is my cousin whether he likes it or not."

"Ah, so you're one of . . . those - that'll make things interesting; It is the little death that brings total obliteration." Cloudpaw responded with a nod, though his eyes visibly widened, and he added "So, you, and our first fox are family? You're not from Ulfhaven are you?"

"You know I'd have mentioned it if he were." Dusk said to Cloudpaw with a degree of exasperation adding "We Ulfhavener's know each other."

"Nope, I am from Classified, in Califurnia; I hear Ulfhaven is good place to visit though." He answered Cloudpaw simply before asking Dusk curiously "Then you know Veronica, sir?"

"Classified?" Cloudpaw asked curiously.

"Yeah, means he can't tell you, and you don't really want to know anyway; trust me." Dusk said to Cloudpaw adding "It's going on record today his base lethality is equal to my own."

Dusk then asked him "Veronica, who? Feral."

"I'm from no town in Califurnia, and only someone else from no town like me would really get my putting it this way; as it is saying I'm from TundraTown is more accurate." He answered Cloudpaw for himself before saying to Dusk "Noble."

"Oh, that Veronica? And let me guess, _she's_ who you were stuck with last night? Chibi-hime was right about that six degrees shit." Dusk responded to that adding to him "Adopted, and attached to a branch or not she's part of the founding family of Ulfhaven; if you value your pelt mind that you do right by her."

"She's on the level, and knows the score; I ain't worried." He told Dusk confidently.

"Just giving you fair warning, Feral." Dusk replied.

"Day one isn't over, and really you're putting his base lethality that high?" Cloudpaw asked curiously adding "You don't cheat."

"The bet's off, Angel. It would be negligent on our part to ignore the fact that the only difference between us is that I remember my training; he has to relearn what his body already knows." Dusk told Cloudpaw squarely adding "Which is why I'm taking him to the Doc.; you'll get your paws on him tomorrow."

Dusk hadn't spoken too soon as the sound of his approaching fellow cadets reached his ears.

"Alright, I am nothing if not patient." Cloudpaw replied to Dusk before turning his head, and winking at him saying "Tomorrow then, Feral."

"It's a date." He responded with a grin before asking "You the same sort of professional as Dusk here? Unwilling to break the code of not fraternizing with students?"

"I am; that rule exists for a reason. I like my job, and my reputation thank you." Cloudpaw answered him seriously before grinning as he added "You earn your Shield then we can share a drink, but it's The Shield, or nothing."

"Hey, just checkin'. I know how that one is." He said to Cloudpaw raising his paws placatingly before adding with a light chuckle "That's what the Sergeant said; I'm looking forward to it."

As the door to the classroom opened, and those ahead of the pack so to speak began filing in, they turned making their exit with Dusk leading the way. Among the first pawful into the classroom was Kelly, and feeling now was better than never he decided to make his apology.

"Hey, Kelly." He said to her getting her attention.

"Yes, David?" Kelly asked him having stopped dead in her tracks, and her body language practically screamed her nervousness which made him further regret having gone quite so far with her.

"Earlier, you kinda got between me, and my first bite of food; I was more mean to you than I really meant to be, and I am sorry." He said to her sincerely.

"I can believe that." Kelly responded with a nervous laugh before her tail wagging hesitantly she asked him "You really meant what you said about those vixens?"

"I did; I am their sworn Champion for a reason - they are the core of my new family." He answered her with a smile at her shift in body language.

"New family?" Kelly inquired tilting her head.

"Come on, Feral." Dusk called to him from the doorway.

"Lost my old one, irrevocably." He told her simply before giving her a nod, and a half wave as he followed after Dusk.

"You got hangry with her Feral?" Dusk asked him curiously as he reached the door.

"I gave her the 'you're only fit for food' look, and meant it, but she's not." He answered as they were through the doorway.

* * *

"Are you okay, Cadet?" He asked the she-wolf barely past the age requirement, having seen quite clearly in the way she shuddered at Ulfherz's parting words how he'd gotten to her.

"Yeah; I'm alright." She insisted giving him a smile that did nothing to change the concern in his muzzle expression, and so she seemed to feel the need to add "I just didn't think he really meant that look the way it well… looked."

"Just for interrupting him from eating?" He asked unable to not frown at the thought.

"No. I just wanted to know if he would sit with me, and my friends, and I kinda insinuated he didn't need to sit next to the fox, the Sarge was calling Stick, but that can't be his name." She explained with a hint of defensiveness for Ulfherz as she clearly was loathe to admit her fault adding "He bit my tail off something good, but I provoked him; you grow up hearing foxes are no-good sneaks, and thieves - it still blows my mind that he says of two vixens that they're True Daughters of the Mother."

"Ah, well the thing about stereotypes is that there will always be mammals who will fall into them, either naturally, or purposefully, but most mammals won't. Also you might not know this, but to make it through that gate you have to pass a background check; something Cadet Wilde did a lot better than Ulfherz actually, and Ulfherz doesn't exactly have a record to speak of." He told her before mentally kicking, then sighing to, himself about his phrasing of Ulfherz's lack of a record which was confidential, as the fact that Ulfherz held non-wolves in such high regard both spoke volumes, and made him curious.

* * *

"We're gonna do this again?" He asked Dusk again as they reached the stairwell door.

"No, this time it's a race." Dusk responded as he hit the door first falling onto his forepaws once he had it open.

Dusk was barely on the ground with all four paws, and he'd already leaped forward onto his paws to catch up. It was fortunate that no one was on the landing to get in their way both for them, and for the next throng of mammals ascending the steps. Dusk might've been the one to act first, but he by no means had the lead though he certainly tried for it.

Thanks to Dusk being the one through the door, which hindered him, he was able to not only transition onto all fours smoother, he was able to get a cleaner running start into his initial leap which carried him almost to the next landing. The leap Dusk managed given his slightly awkward running start proved just how spry he still was for his age, and he landed up the steps about half a body length lower though he didn't slow down either.

Just as Dusk was getting his hindpaws on the landing, he was tensing to spring then leapt halfway up the next set of steps. He managed even with the handicap of running the rest of the way to make it to the third floor door about two body lengths ahead of Dusk; which was about enough time to rear up to open the door, then push it open, and turn around to wait all of a pawful of seconds as Dusk's muzzle cleared the top step.

"You're pretty good. Kept you waiting, huh?" Dusk said to him as he slowed down on the landing before asking him as he got back on his hindpaws "You really opened the door, then dropped back to all fours?"

"Are you kidding? With the opening-bar type door, like this one, it's a piece of cake to just rear up, and open it that way; I've stayed on all fours." He responded before asking back "How does an old geezer like you become a fan of Metal Gear?"

"Old again? And I'm a geezer, now?" Dusk asked him as if he couldn't believe it before adding amusedly as he walked through the door "I played the original for R&R when I was going through basic training; Metal Gear Solid blew my mind."

"That's why you're a geezer, sir." He responded with a laugh before telling Dusk following after him "I didn't get into the series until Snake Eater which I rented from the local Blockbuster, and managed to beat in a week. I cry at night for the dream of a remaster using The Phantom Pain's FOX engine, but Konami decided that idea was better realized with fucking pachinko; out of touch greedy fucks."

"I've been to Japan, and while some of those machines exist, they're hard to find; besides Kojima-san still has the rights - that could be his next project." Dusk told him optimistically.

"His next project which you should hear about soon is called Death Stranding, and it won't be even close to ready until twenty eighteen; it will be a mindfuck, but all the more awesome for it." He responded unable to not enthusiastically add "E3 is in a week, I'm totally watching Sony's conference for it alone; other than that it's just the Bethesda showcase I care about, though Elder Scrolls isn't the series I wish they were gonna talk about . . . Starfield, maybe . . ."

"Okay, yeah I'm getting old, I only understood half of that." Dusk admitted before asking him conversationally "How do you know about a game that isn't even announced, and enough to say for certain it won't be ready for another two years?"

"That's classified, and it won't be ready for a proper reveal until E3 2018; assuming it still gets announced in a week, but I think it will be. Kojima-san needs a break from Metal Gear to try new things, maybe in another ten years or so he'll come back to it, and in the interim he can have part of his studio just work on remastering the first three Solids." He responded unable to not voice what his hope for this new world was.

"Now, I'm gonna have to watch this E3, whatever that is, and see for myself what goes down." Dusk said to him before adding seriously as he stopped in the middle of the hall "On the level Ulfherz, were you like a game developer or something before you lost your memory? I understand if you're abiding NDA's you only half-recall."

"There is a chance Kojima Productions with Sony does something completely different that even I won't know about." He cautioned Dusk before using the opportunity of stopping to get up on his hindpaws, and telling him "No, I wasn't, and what I was which was nothing no longer matters at all; I am more here than I ever was, even as I remain so much the same; internally at least."

"You were nothing, but you have what sounds like insider information?" Dusk asked skeptically.

"You're not going to understand me when I say that I was one of the many unemployed who had no faith in finding employ no matter how hard I tried because I just so happened to have been born a white male - welcome to Gender Commiefornia, where the Marxism is Cultural; you're not going to understand the discrimination, fur color, and gender don't matter here like that since the key discriminatory distinction is over diet, not appearance." He answered unable to not be honest, such that he was able, adding somberly "Where was the American Dream for me? Well, I have a new dream, a Zootopian dream."

"Why there are a lot of wolves who go into the service, and this force, as well as the medical field; some wolves are natural workers, who need a place, without it they are their own sort of unliving. I understand that much Ulfherz, and I think I get you a lot better now." Dusk said to him before adding with a gesture of his paw to the next door on their right "That's the Doc's office; let's get this over with, and get you on to fulfilling that dream."

"Geronimo." He responded jokingly before giving Dusk a nod in farewell, which the older wolf returned, then going to the Doc's door, and knocking.

Upon hearing through the door 'It's open.' he opened it, and stepping through he said to the mammal within "So, Doctor, is there somebody always watching you, or is that just a feeling?"

"Neither." The doctor responded deadpan, and as he approached the raccoon while pushing the door to shut behind him, the doc. added "I will give it to you though Cadet Ulfherz most mammals do not make that sort of joke as casually, or as correctly as you did; asking me if someone is really watching them, because the lyric is 'somebody's watching me'."

"You got an I.D. sheet like the Sarge, with names, and mugshots?" He asked the doctor curiously as he availed himself of the chair across from him.

"No, Sergeant Furschia included me in the morning's group chat; and I've seen her recordings of your performances. Aren't you quite the mammal, Feral, they are calling you?" Dr. Rockwell answered him conversationally.

"Hey, it fits, and I kinda like it." He replied before asking the Doc. "So what'd you think, of my demonstration of how to properly run, and... well as Dusk nailed it… my Snake impression."

"Of course you like your nickname." Dr. Rockwell commented with a nod before answering him "I'm intrigued the recent Nighthowler crises has no import on your willingness to engage in what an uninformed mammal would assume is savage behavior; you outrunning that cheetah on it's own could go viral if we put it out there which isn't going to happen anytime soon; I have to ask if you were legitimately chasing that cheetah, your fellow cadet, as if he were prey because there's no other way to describe your body language before he went down; Speaking of when he went down, I have never seen someone shift expression so fluidly, and then you picked him up as if he weighed nothing when he can't weigh much less than you do, and proceeded to carry him off the track which is quite commendable."

"As for your 'Snake' impression, you've certainly got a paw-print in Dusk's good book for it, and I find Sergeant Furschia's speculation that you're former military, or intelligence, and a plant amusing." Dr. Rockwell finished looking like he was merely recharging for the next salvo.

"Alright, you might not be the first raccoon I've been this close to, but you're the first one I'm getting a chance to sit down, and talk with, and we have a couple hours; let's try one thing at a time, or we'll get lost on tangents for days." He said to the Doc. upfront before continuing "The problem I had relearning to walk upright, I cannot shake in trying to run bipedaly; in shifting to digitigrade locomotion I invariably fall forward into running on all fours. So if stupid fucks want to think I'm savage, well I can't help their stupidity, and for that matter yes I was chasing Maverick like prey, he was running away, but he's not prey; he's my brother, and I reacted accordingly."

He then couldn't help musing as he thought about the Doc's comment "A paw-print in his good book, huh? I wonder just how drunk he'd have to be before he'd let me suck his dick."

"One thing at a time?" Dr. Rockwell asked rhetorically as he began scrawling on a notepad he'd produced from behind a stack of papers, before adding "We should start with the elephant in the room, your amnesia, and just how much you remember of what you do remember, especially since you just brought up having to relearn how to walk - how long did that take by the way? I'm gonna circle back to some of these other points you've brought up."

"Actually Doc. the bigger elephant is just how confidential is this conversation, and the fact that we both know it's in my interest to withhold what I must so that you can say I'm fit for duty; you are a mandated reporter, and there are things that I could tell you that due to language failing to convey certain contexts you would not understand, and misconstrue into a misreport." He responded before adding almost in afterthought "It only took me a matter of minutes once I'd seen someone properly demonstrate to get the knack back of walking upright; the muscle memory was there, but my mind had to remake the connection."

"Ah . . . Well . . . Yeah, you are right our discussions are technically not confidential the same way this would be if I were a private practitioner." Dr. Rockwell replied apparently stymied.

"If it helps, Dusk's putting my base lethality as the same as his; he and I are fellow killers though our qualifiers to that I can guarantee are quite different." He willingly ventured.

"Oh, okay. That actually helps a lot Ulfherz." Dr. Rockwell told him explaining as he made another note "I'm going to assume that along with that he's going to give you the maximum security clearance he can which means whether or not I report something is up to my discretion, and not mandate, barring you posing a clear, and direct threat to those around you."

"You can say that, but I could tell you things that'd have you unduly thinking that I am indeed a clear, and present danger to every single living mammal around me." He responded not budging about that before adding "Like I told Dusk, and my cousin, plus I guess you could say our new friends, seeing a semi-trailer full of dismembered sheep while at a tallow factory is the tip of the iceberg."

"I . . . I see . . . Ulfherz . . ." Dr. Rockwell replied clearly surprised with his ears folded back as his jaw was agape.

"That being the case." The Doc. managed to gather his wits "Why don't we start small? You felt comfortable enough telling some of your fellow cadets that, openly, as well as your cousin?"

"Given that his cousins are the core of my new family, Nick, or Cadet Wilde to you probably, is family; my Brat Kolya. By friends, or tomodachi, I mean Maverick or Cadet Rushes, Chibi-hime or Cadet Swift, Rocky or Cadet Mesa, and Cadet Cenote or Azure the Alluring if you bent my arm to pin a nickname on her - she's just . . . centerfold in a picture book of divine creatures. Not to discount all the other handsome, and sexy felines here including that Angel downstairs whom I am almost tempted to see if he'll be corruptible, but for hottest females in our class Frost, and Cenote are kinda tied, if you ask me anyway."

"Alright, let's get this out of the way. One, just what exactly is your sexuality, and Two - I want you to be clear about what your intentions for your male Instructors are, okay?" The Doc. said to him as if to clear the air.

"I'm bisexual, and I guess you could say pansexual too; I'm attracted to species across the board, including my own, though mostly fellow preds. As I prefer to put it I'm into the Fang, and Claw." He answered simply adding "With Dusk, well I prefer a cup of Johan over a cup of Joe, and I am probably going to try his patience with riffing on that especially in a homoerotic manner though I will probably keep things in the realm of joking. Angel on the other paw . . . I probably want to see him in the fur as much as I want to see Azure, he clearly takes care of his pelt, and it shows; I'd be happy just to bathe him, and earn more than just a shared drink with him after I get my Shield."

"From the sound of it you're polyamorous as well." The Doc. commented scrawling again on his notepad.

"That too; like I told Sarah, Chibi-Hime, this unit is defective, good for everything, but romance." He responded nodding agreeingly.

"Given your proclivity for promiscuity, and professed preference for 'Fang and Claw' as you put it, is it safe to say that you have a Feline Fetish?" The Doc. asked him inquisitively.

"Cat Scratch Fever, _mew_ . . ." He answered with a grin as he let out another little one before adding with somewhat forced protestation "Demo nya, I do nyat have a Neko-con-nyan."

"Did you just mew, Ulfherz?" Doc. Rockwell asked looking as flabbergasted as Nick had.

" _Mew . . . mew . . ._ " He mewed again this time purposefully using one's meant to garner attention.

"Spirits in the Trees . . . " Doc. Rockwell said his ears folding back before asking him in a half whisper "Were you raised by felines, Ulfherz?"

"No, I just like cats, and have spent a lot of time around them. I pick up accents too, and can't always control when they come out. I have a talented tongue as it were, and a hardcore oral fixation as Freud would put it." He answered the doctor simply still withholding the fact he could pull off a full range of meows, not just mews, let alone the hisses he was capable of though that was something he easily had taught both Evie, and Kiera.

"I see, well that is certainly interesting." The Doc. commented scribbling some more adding "And that is quite apparent Ulfherz, and a lot more common among canines than you'd think though you certainly express it more openly than any I've talked to. I hope you don't mind me asking, since we're on the subject, and I am a medical professional, but just how many partners have you been with so far?"

"Two vixens, one of whom I did not knot, and last night an arctic she-wolf." He answered unable to not grin smugly as he added "I'm open about it for a reason particularly with my enjoyment of falatio though it's cunninlingus I prefer. I want wolves who would hate me for it to be vocal so I know who my potential enemies are. I can use my fangs in self defence, and only wound to maim, or incapacitate; I can just like I can use my fangs, and not draw blood."

"Really? You haven't had sex with a feline? I almost find that hard to believe, are you really not pulling my leg?" Dr. Rockwell asked in response before adding "I can't exactly argue with your logic, since in principle that's why nazi's, and communists are guaranteed the same freedom of speech as the rest of us, but I would be remiss if I didn't caution you to not unduly start fights. Though undoubtedly there will be a couple."

"Yeah, and I can't say whether, or not it'll be Sarah, or Azure who get to claim that first, if that'll happen at all." He answered with a shrug then added "Exactly, encourage backbiters into the light, not drive them underground. I expect it from at least a couple wolves, and I make no promises, or guarantees, but I will try not to antagonize anyone; them antagonizing me on the other paw . . ."

"That's about all we can ask, these things do happen; despite the nine times out of ten that wolves, particularly strangers, are able to work together peacefully." Dr. Rockwell said with a slight frown before asking him "Have you been the victim of assault based on your homosexual tendencies?"

"Yeah, but that was during my old life a long time ago now, in a galaxy far, far away." He answered the Doc. plainly.

"Okay." Dr. Rockwell replied scrawling another note before telling him "Regarding your amnesia, I'd like to start with your initial memories before you began remembering your past."

"So from the beginning, alright then." He responded readily before starting "About a month ago I woke up in the middle of the TundraTown woods without clothes, and only knowing my given name. I wandered for a total of three days eating snow for water, and sleeping burrowed under it at night, before I managed to get out of the woods. I was just so happy to have room to run, that is exactly what I was doing when I saw her. Evie, who had been on her way towards the woods to investigate my howling myself back to sleep in the night. Evalyn instead of running away in fear since I was on all fours, offered me her paw. She brought me into her home, fed me, and with Kiera's aid clothed me; her mother Lorelei agreed to let me stay. It's thanks to Kiera's demonstration that I relearned how to walk, and it's thanks to Kiera's parents Erika, and Mike that I both have a grasp of modern canine etiquette, and had a job while I waited for my application to this place to go through. It is also thanks to Kiera for being a horny teenager unafraid to get bitey that I began to actually get back my memories from my old life which was a string of mindfucks let me tell you; in triggering my nature as she did, the most fundamental and basal of my instincts, she opened the door back up again. I have been fortunate that Evie, Lorelei, Kiera, Mike, and Erika have been True Children of the Mother, and not cast me out given the things I've shared with them; the classified way to put it is that I remember things differently, but the similarities are close enough that I can manage quite well though I slip sometimes, and sometimes multiple times in a row. It is much the same as the fact that though I am heartless, I am not soulless, and I manage well enough that no one will ever really tell the difference, unless they get a feel like _Johan_ did; hehe."

"You only knew your given name when you woke up? Clearly you also must've had some survival training." Dr. Rockwell asked him.

"Yeah, though I didn't even think about trying to speak until Evie was talking to me; I didn't think I had vocal chords capable of speech, and no I haven't had survival training, I read the Call of the Wild by Jack London." He answered simply.

"Okay, and you say you were howling yourself to sleep in the night? I'm surprised there weren't noise complaints which would've lead to a search party." Dr. Rockwell inquired next.

"They were probably afraid, according to everyone I've talked to who heard me, I was quite mournful; I imagine that subconsciously I was processing the fact that I've lost everyone of my original family, which believe you me once that came into the fore of my consciousness was, and has been in ways both the biggest mindfuck, and the littlest." He responded with a shrug.

"Alright, before I come back to that in a second, I have to ask what you meant by your nature, and this teenager Kiera triggering it; just how old is she by the way?" Dr. Rockwell asked of him intriguedly.

"Like Evie she is sixteen, and like Evie, will be seventeen before I knot her like she desires. If you doubt what I'm about to tell you, then you can take it up with Dusk, and Furschia; by nature I am a psychic vampire, and as a matter of fact am an incubus incarnate though contrary to monotheistic dogma I am not malevolent. I am as natural as you are, unaware mundane that you likely are; if you are awakened like Dusk do forgive my assumption." He casually explained to the Doc.

"Good to know you seem adamant about obeying that law." Dr. Rockwell commented approvingly before saying "So you identify with that particular class of demon as an archetype?"

"No foolish mundane, I speak the truth of me that I know, it is not a matter of belief on my part. Give me your paw pad side up, I will show you, and you can talk to Dusk about it later." He told the Doc. with a frown.

"Okay, then." Dr. Rockwell responded relaxedly as he obligingly laid his right arm out on his desk with the paw pad-side up.

"When you feel it, say something, but don't jerk away; I will give back what I take." He said to the Doc. seriously as he placed his own right paw a few inches over Rockwell's.

Given the still recent 'feel' Dusk had gotten, and the lingering trace of the wolf's chi which hadn't been quite assimilated it took him mere seconds after closing his eyes, and steadying his breathing to slip into the necessary meditative state to slowly, but steadily focus on pulling chi from the smaller mammal. Compared to the rough yank he'd done with the Sergeant given her size advantage, he was using the kit gloves with the Doctor.

"Whoah . . . that's cold . . . what in the . . ." Dr. Rockwell said about when he expected that the raccoon would feel it, and with that as his cue he brought his paw down over the doctor's, and focused on passing back what he'd taken which remained cupped in his paw. It was a tad more difficult to shunt the chi back, but the physical contact helped facilitate the transfer.

"Okay, and now my arm is warm again." Dr. Rockwell commented as he released the raccoon's paw, before the Doctor shook himself to relieve his tension.

"I was aware from Dusk, how chi manipulation is possible, as is absorbing chi from your surroundings, but I had no idea that such a technique could be not only natural to someone, but part of their nature, and so powerful." Dr. Rockwell explained to him, as his fur settled down, adding "As a psychiatrist, I understand there are just some things science can't quantify, but that doesn't make them any less real."

"Like I explained to the Sergeant earlier, in needing life so intrinsically to sustain ourselves others like me value life more than most; for example weak though I am I could kill a mammal like your, or Nick's size, or smaller, but it is in our interest to see to it that the living flourish. It is counter intuitive to anyone blinded by a monotheistic framework, but it is the absolute truth that life is sacred to us in a way that normal mammals will never understand." He responded adding "The fiction would have you believe feeding to the point of killing is kind of our schtick, but the living are more useful to us alive, and well than they are dead. It's not for nothing I took the time, and effort to strengthen, and heighten Lorelei, and Evalyn's chi before I fed on them and didn't take much when I did."

"So in a nutshell you can kill with . . . a chi drain . . . but even approaching that extreme is anathema. Much the same way most preds view using their fangs offensively; that is comforting I must admit, I don't doubt you saying you could literally pull the life out of me." Dr. Rockwell said before musing "And they say drowning is the most horrible way to die . . . "

"Oh I can tell you it, yeah, would be a horrible way to die. In knowing what it's like to be drained to the point standing is impossible, not only can I guarantee you that via extrapolation, I can also tell you it gives you an appreciation for what it is like for others should your self control be lacking; my _oldest_ memory remains that feeling, though, of what it is like to kill in that way." He responded amicably adding "If you were a canid I'd tell you never to piss of the Mother."

"You mean the Mother of Wolves? As if she's real?" Dr. Rockwell asked him with plain curiosity, and clearly not meaning offence by his phrasing.

"I do. She is my sister, and I love her; she is also as real as I am, and as real as you are. The truth is the truth whether you believe it or not, and it will remain the truth even if you disbelieve it." He told Rockwell having latched upon the perfect way to phrase it.

"The truth as far as you know it." Dr. Rockwell countered.

"That is true. I am not omniscient, and I am fallible since I am as incarnate as you are; my soul is just stronger even with the restraints necessary to fit it inside a vessel such as this." He conceded with a nod before for emphasis he shook his right arm letting the fore of it flop about as he said "These things are usually custom jalopies."

"I see . . . well at least you certainly seem to have good humor for a self professed demon incarnate; not that I'm given to doubt you Ulfherz, I am just still coming to terms with new information I had not expected to ever learn." Dr. Rockwell said to him before adding "To borrow Star Wars terminology as you have, you're in the Outer Rim, but you're still in the Known Galaxy; and you're legitimately force sensitive to boot."

"I'm a regular Good Humour Ice Cream Mammal." He responded jokingly with a light laugh before telling the Doc. whom he was beginning to like "I wish I could tell you that, that's all you really need to know, especially if you can halfway grok that much, but you have more questions, about other things. I think it's amazing that one day there will be functioning plasma-swords that are effectively lightsabers, as well as plasma shields in space for hangar bays."

The Doc. snorted amusedly at his jest before telling him "I guess then you'd say here come the hard questions that need asking, but we don't need to get into them all at once. I have to agree with you, not to mention how robotics, and prosthetics are fusing."

" _Yes._ " He agreed enthusiastically "Koukaku Kidotai is going to become a reality; I am looking forward to those advances in prosthetic organs, and limbs as well as the question of how much to cyberize, and how much to keep organic - I like being anatomically correct."

"You know technically you wouldn't need sperm, just a DNA sample, even one on file; the technology is still in its infancy, but by the end of our lives we will probably see it." Dr. Rockwell said to him conversationally.

"Doc. you're gonna give me nightmares. I, as an incubus, am particular about my parts. I have a connection to organic life that I am certain, certain mechanical parts will inhibit; the trans… mammalian, or cyberization question is one that will have ramifications unique to those like me, and how we answer is up to us individually; I look forward to the challenge of it, evolving with the times, if I make it that far." He responded shaking his head to dispel the thoughts of being as anatomically correct as a G.I. Joe.

"The thought of losing your male-hood is disturbing to you?" Dr. Rockwell asked him curiously.

"It's not disturbing to you? Every male should have that fear in the back of his mind when he let's a female go down on him. Males don't bite each other's dicks off out of vindictive spite, a motherfucking bitch will." He responded as if the Doc. were being daft, and asking the wrong question.

For some reason, either the subject, or his phrasing, but with where his mind was an old piece of his old life resurfaced due to relevance, and all he could do was shockedly say "Oh, fuck . . ."

"I need to sit." He told the Doc. as he gripped his head with his paws, and leaned back against the surface he was on.

"You are sitting down. Are you alright, Ulfherz?" Dr. Rockwell asked concernedly adding encouragingly "Talk to me, did something come to the surface?"

"I grew up in a family of women, they used to joke, with a pair of tongs, and scissors . . . the peepee snapper they called it . . . they were only ever joking, I never was afraid of them really doing that, but they fucking joked about it regularly . . . that sort of thought routinely crossed their minds." He told the Doc freely getting it off his chest before adding "See what I mean Doc? Mindfucks, motherfucking mindfucks everywhere. Like a fucking panorama."

"That is certainly noteworthy on a few levels." Dr. Rockwell commented interestedly adding "Can I start by saying that I understand your fear at being un-maled, it's perfectly rational, and quite natural for alphas such as yourself. Though you clearly are an alpha, and normally males raised by females don't turn out quite so obviously dominant, that makes me curious about what male influence you had as a cub. I'm also curious how to you there is no connection between the females in your life joking in that manner to your current attitude regarding being un-maled."

"Now see, here we are into my old life that no longer matters; there are things down this road that are classified, I'll tell you that now, but I probably will simply omit them. I can't go back to my old life, and I would rather murder in cold blood to stay here, than ever go back if I did have the opportunity. The new life I am making for myself here is already better, and means more to me than the one I had; even with the cost I've paid in losing everyone I ever cared about." He told the Doc. upfront, before answering him "My main male influence growing up was my grandfather. I never met my dad until I was eighteen though we shared quite a few idiosyncrasies, and if you looked at us standing next to each other he was just a taller, fatter, and older version of me. The only connection that anecdote has to anything, and now that I think about it it's apparent, is how I prefer absurdist humor - like saying something absolutely ridiculous, or horrible to the point that your not actually meaning it is clear, and therein is the humor."

"You don't seem to be in denial over anything so how can you say your old life doesn't matter? I should think a mammal as intelligent, and informed as you would see how it clearly has a bearing on your present. I understand this is probably a bigger issue for you than you've hinted at so far; can I start small, and ask just how much you do remember?" Dr. Rockwell responded to him amicably as he jotted out another note.

"I understand full well how my past has a bearing on my present; you have no idea how that truth is blatant to me given my heartlessness, and the fact I still carry this self inflicted wound." He replied pointedly before adding simply "I remember enough, but there is still a huge gap between my last memory in Califurnia, and waking up here in Zootopia."

"Again you mention being heartless, just what do you mean?" Dr. Rockwell asked him adding curiously "Is that why you refer to your old life as being a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away?"

"This too, if you want an outside opinion, you can talk to Dusk about, but the emotional center you would refer to as a heart I cut out quite purposefully. I was over-emotional, and weak for it I kept hurting myself, so I resolved to make myself stronger, and succeeded, but I have understood too late the full costs, and my folly. I thought what I'd removed was all of it, but I got proven wrong, but the one who won what was left of my heart never claimed it, and so now I am completely heartless. I still have my soul thus no one will ever really know the difference even when I tell them." He responded frowning out of wariness with the subject before telling the Doc. "I use that phrase 'cause of how well it fits to describe the minimum meaning necessary for me to convey what I need to, and have you leave well enough alone about classified shit. Tell me, as a scientist, what's your opinion on multiverse theory?"

"Minimum meaning necessary to convey the needed information, because the full truth is classified?" Dr. Rockwell repeated queryingly before saying to him "I will probably talk with Instructor Dusk later. Multiverse theory, though? Well, given the nature of probability, and the fact that there are at least four dimensions if not more we just cannot measure yet, I wouldn't discount the theory that we're just part of a universe that is itself part of a collection of other universes some of which are parallel to varying degrees to our own with others potentially vastly different. It's the idea of life like in the galaxy of Star Wars, only on a bigger scale."

"Due to the fact quarks can be two places at once, not only is teleportation fundamentally within the laws of physics, so too is the fact that in there being parallel universes that amongst those quarks get shared." He added his two cents before saying to the Doc. "What if I told you that there is no way for me to prove to you the truth, but that doesn't change the reality of it, and because it's classified for my safety as much as it is yours the most I can ever tell you is that I remember things differently, and they're Pink Floyd, not Pig Floyd because the lyric is which one's pink."

"The simplest answer, no matter how outlandish, is usually the correct one; a resilient mind can reconcile the outlandishness. You've been remarkably honest, and lucid with me so far Ulfherz; I'm not given to thinking you're delusional. If anything I'm now curious just what other things you remember differently." Dr. Rockwell told him before adding "I looked over your MRI, and there really are no signs of physical trauma to any area of your brain; I'm beginning to think the reason for your amnesia is a psychological trauma."

"Doc. I told you it's classified for my safety, especially, and yours; you're on the right way to earning my trust given your openness, but today is not that day." He responded before adding "Undoubtedly, Doc. it was a psychological trauma, one that I too have been curious at, and while I have a damn good guess as to what the fuck happened it's just that, my best guess - even if I were completely accurate I would not know the how of it, and would again rely on a best guess. What is certain is that I cannot go back, only forward, and with this second chance of a new life that is precisely what I'm going to do until the day I get to set foot again on Ulfheim's shores, and that day of dying I intend to live my life to the fullest for."

"I can live with that Ulfherz, Rome wasn't built in a day." Dr. Rockwell said to him before adding as he made another note "Now I get why Dusk brought you to me ahead of schedule; I imagine you expressed that attitude with him, as well. I will come back to that, and your best guesses which I'm curious to hear, but first I want to come back around to what you said about how you feel regarding your old life compared to your new one; you really can't go back to it, and you would rather fight for what you have now? Your family is gone?"

"I hope you come back to it soon, I'm curious about how my saying that nearly the same as I just told you seemed to trip a flag with him, and you can take your curiosity over my best guesses, and shove 'em up your asshole; just 'cause I may have already given you the foundational pieces, and you seem to grok them, doesn't mean I can just give you the rest of the pieces." He responded before telling the Doc. "Believe it or not this is all connected. I really have lost everyone in my family, everyone I ever knew, or cared about - my parents, sister, aunts, uncles, my extended family . . . everyone. It is a literal impossibility for me to return to where I called home; it no longer exists. So no I don't want to go back, and if anyone made me the offer I'd murder them with my fangs. This is where I am, so this is where I will stay."

"You're serious? Why then do I get the feeling you're not all that bothered by losing your entire pack?" Dr. Rockwell asked him concernedly.

"Because my first lesson in life was 'Be prepared to lose everyone you will ever care about to death, and distance' Lo, and behold so I have in a way beyond even anything I could've anticipated, and which is totally irrevocable. I do not mourn the loss of my mother, my father, or any of them because care though I truly did about them, the pain of that loss pales in comparison . . . to knowing I never got to say goodbye to the one I never, ever, wanted to say goodbye to . . ." He answered the Doc trailing off as he felt pangs in his hara from thinking about _her_ before he added morosely "Which is why I look forward to Ulfheim . . ."

"Fundamentally, that is a rather fatalistic attitude to hold, and Dusk veteran that he is, takes it very seriously." Dr. Rockwell said to him before asking "I imagine my asking now about who that is would be counterproductive, and so I won't pry, but I do need to ask; you're not going to unduly risk your life, are you?"

"Oh, now I get it; why he's concerned." He responded since it made perfect sense for them to construe from his words that his sentiment was in that sort of direction, and so he added "Just 'cause I am looking forward to when I die doesn't mean I'm in any rush to get there; I fully intend to live my life to the fullest, or else this second chance was for what? Life is full of suffering, defined by it even, but it is just as full of wonder, and beauty."

"I had a feeling you'd express something along those lines . . . though I have to ask now, and you probably don't know either, but how are you so . . . well rounded despite everything you've been through? Just what are you made of?" Dr. Rockwell replied with sincere curiosity, his professional facade lowering completely.

"If the Hulk's secret is he's always angry, and so has reached stasis with that aspect of himself then mine is that I'm always depressed to the point I too am in stasis with it; in fact such that I can take strength from it." He answered the doc simply with a shrug.

"As a psychologist my knee-jerk response to that would be that depression doesn't work like that. Could you possibly explain what you mean a bit further?" Dr. Rockwell responded writing on his pad idly.

"Most mammals when faced with their shadow fight against it and repress it, or flee burying their heads in the sand which are as you know both the common, and improper responses. I repressed things too when I was younger, and when they came back to the fore with a mindfucking I learned the hard way not to repress anything ever again. That though was me coming to terms with my bisexuality, at what twelve-thirteen, which I can say I've been since before puberty - the downside of growing up in a catholic family, and having friends with likewise stunted parents; I loathe monotheism by the way. I, when my awakening began when I was ten, had no choice but to stare down my own shadow, and I embraced it. The only way beyond the darkness is into, and through it; so I am my own shadow, and that black wolf in me feels the same love in his core that is within the figurative white wolf. I never had anyone I could've talked to that would've understood, and so I alone chose my own path." He did his best to explain himself, and what to him was the core of his personal philosophy.

"What sort of homosexual experiences did you repress?" Dr. Rockwell inquired, his profession showing as he latched onto that, adding curiously "When you were a cub?"

"Cubs fool around with cubs, this is the way we all learn . . . I can legitimately say my first real kiss was when I was seven, because while I did not initiate it, I am the one who used tongue first, and that is how I remember it. Looking back on it now I wonder about whether, or not my first best friend, had seen more than he perhaps should thanks to his older brother, and was acting out to a degree with me . . . but given the response from his mother when she found us out which was just the expression on her face - the next day I denied remembering anything, I began repressing it all until puberty really blew the door open. It's not for nothing I say that I've always been this way." He answered honestly, though as he spoke of the memories which were about all he had left of his childhood, he couldn't help the longing that came out in his tone.

"You miss him don't you?" Dr. Rockwell asked him as he jotted down more notes.

"I last saw him when I was nine because we had to move . . . I never knew what happened to him, if he was alive, or dead in the intervening years, and part me as an adult wanted to see him again, and reconnect if at all possible given how much we'd both changed over the years . . . but now I'm here, and all of that is so much space dust in a multiversal wind." He responded with a shrug.

"Since we're on the subject, do you mind me asking if you were ever molested, or abused; I know it's a sensitive question, but it's my job to ask, and help if I can." Dr. Rockwell said to him, laying his pen down on the notepad, and looking at him attentively.

"You're not ruffling any of my feathers askin' that. The answer is no. Like I said though, cubs fool around with cubs; you know the usual, show me yours I'll show you mine, and let's play doctor. It's funny, I read once in a pediatrician's office in a medical magazine about how cubs even before puberty will masturbate, and it's perfectly natural at that, but it's only now that I'm looking back at it, through vague memories at that, that's what I was doing when I was younger - nap time came around at daycare, and they'd always have to tell me keep my paws out of my pants . . . I lacked the language, and the knowledge to say 'let me jerk off so I _can_ fall asleep'; it does fucking help." He told the Doc. unable to not laugh amusedly at his own observation.

"Interesting." Dr. Rockwell responded his ears alert as he added "So you're saying you were more sexually inclined than the average cub?"

"Well, sort of. I know you're trained to look at that as a sign of certain things, and if you ask if I was a bed wetter the answer is also yes to that, but the answer to if I was ever touched by adults, or anything like that is still no." He responded understanding fully the real question the doc. was asking.

"Hmm, so the answer being no, it was simply your natural inclination; that makes it all the more interesting." Dr. Rockwell commented fascinatedly before asking him "Have you taken any psychology courses?"

"Just an AP High-School class which I failed because I don't need homework to learn; I am capable of paying attention. My mother fostered in me a love of reading early, and I will never let that go even if I die a thousand more times, and lose more and more of my memories; if it is not carved on the obelisk of my soul then I will rectify that the first chance I get - within books exists a multiverse." He answered him honestly adding what he'd told Sarah "You could lock me in a bookstore, and I would starve to death, but die a happy mammal."

"I see . . . so you feel that strongly about what your mother taught you, but you don't really care that she's gone?" Dr. Rockwell asked him curiously.

"You could say the same of my love for cooking. My mother did right by me as best she could when I was a cub, it was only as I grew older, and became an adolescent that she began to fail me. Emotional support was lacking, but everything else was not; considering the physical, emotional, and psychological abuse she suffered at the hands of my grandmother . . . my mom really did do her best, and she made it far, even if it wasn't far enough. I could never hate my mother, just as I could never hate The Mother of Wolves who is my sister, no matter how angry I ever got with her; I don't think I've ever gotten angry with the Mother, but there is always a first time for everything." He answered the Doc. before adding "That said, no it does not hurt me that she's gone; we've all got to go sometime. This is the strength of my heartlessness, witness it, and learn the path not to take, because pain is better than nothing. To an empath, apathy may sound like bliss, but it is a hellscape of horror."

"The strength of your heartlessness?" Dr. Rockwell repeated inquisitively before asking him "So to put it another way, for someone who is high in empathy, trying to gain stronger apathetic tendencies due to the drawbacks in being empathic is the wrong choice?"

"Yes, exactly." He responded to the Doc. nodding affirmatively.

"And having found a way to do that unlike any other I've ever heard of, and I've heard of a few trying, you would speak from quite the experience having really managed the feat." Dr. Rockwell stated before telling him "I am truly sorry for you, that you had no one to tell you, that apathy is the wrong way; I haven't heard apathy put better, it is a hellscape of horror."

Dr. Rockwell then added musingly "And I heard it from a demon no less, incarnate in the fur, and benevolent putting the lie to so much of monotheistic dogma"

"Just because we by nature are of the darkness it doesn't mean that we are evil; we too have the same choice you do, the same free will - I do not think the one above us all could've made us differently. Monotheists do not know how their lies hurt us . . . we are as real as any of you, yet you lie about us when you do talk about us if you're not saying we don't exist in the first place, and we're the ones who never stopped listening, or watching, or as I and my Kin do walk amongst you." He responded depressedly before adding bitterly "I cannot forgive the lies, so egregious are they, and so full of hate that only hate will they get from me; not all monotheists are bad, and I have no quarrel with any who have none with me, but those who would have there be quarrel . . ."

At that he simply shook his head, and said "I am tired of being the bigger mammal, and simply staying silent, to avoid quarrel; I am not a doormat."

"Have you had much cause for quarrel with monotheists?" Dr. Rockwell asked him with a raised eyebrow, the raccoon's catching on to his use of an uncommon word standing out.

"When nobody asks you anything pertinent, there's no reason for you to even say anything. Everyone just assumes you're generally like them, and because you aren't them, you will always matter less to them than they will to themselves." He responded before saying "Only with a tweaker I once called brother, but proved, well, an abusive fucking tweaker, but that again is now a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."

"You know, you are not wrong Ulfherz, about a mammals natural self interest, and that is a permutation of it, but to hear you put it like that . . . if you start making an argument for forsaking mammal-kind to some sort of apocalypse I don't think I'd readily be able to disagree." Dr. Rockwell said to him with chagrin before asking "So that too doesn't matter even though you bear the scars of it? It wasn't for nothing I was curious about you being abused at some point; I've been trained to see the tells."

"Yeah, except I was a grown adult, before I went through the same sort of psychological, and emotional abuse my mother did as well as worse physical abuse to a degree. Well, once my grandmother went for the belt insisting I was lying when I was telling the truth, but that was the first and the last time after my mom found out. He too was a victim of abuse, having come from a rather lackluster family of addicts of one sort, or another; he got stuck in the cycle of living on the street 'cause that was all he knew - some will say that everything is a choice, but that to me is so distastefully generalizing in a gross way; sometimes there really isn't a choice when you've been dealt a bad hand, and there is no way out that you can see, nor were you ever shown one. I do my damndest to be better than my worst tendencies, knowing full well what and where they are, but others are not so motivated, and environment plays a role. Epigenetics isn't legit for no reason; it's this same principle in a different avenue of life in all it's chaos." He couldn't help answering getting it off his chest before adding "Then it's going to really bake your noodle when I actually make the argument against an Apocalypse, or prophetic revelation as the word actually means, because there is so much beauty worth protecting, and destruction on that scale is the wrong tool to fight the lies that live on. Don't get me wrong, that level of destruction, if limited, and pointed very carefully in the right spots would certainly get a ball rolling, and feel very fucking good after millenia of crap from mortals, but that sort of excessiveness would ultimately be counterproductive."

"Beauty worth protecting?" Dr. Rockwell asked him with optimistic curiosity.

"Just look at all the art that mortals have created, and look at what you've done with your Science; you've grasped the basic fundamentals of the very multiverse such that you can from this physical realm. There are elements, the lies as they live on, that are retarding the progress that could be made; greed for power for its own sake among other factors . . . the fundamental lie is that mammals for one reason, or another must hate each other, and be in conflict perpetually. I want to see the lies as they've cropped up again retarded, so that we can see just how far forward the rest of mammal-kind can take itself." He answered readily, and resolutely before adding "Though there is only so much I can do here as I am now; basically just live by example, and do my best to observe as much as possible so that better plans can be made in Ulfheim."

No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a buzzing, and a vibrating from the other side of the Doc's desk; his phone going off which the Doc. quickly silenced before telling him with a light laugh "That was my alarm for four-thirty. Why don't we call it a day here, Ulfherz? I am still eager to talk with Cadet Wilde, which is my plan for tomorrow, but if you don't mind I will want to continue this conversation the day after, and probably for the rest of the week if I don't alternate you with Cadet Wilde."

"You know where I live Doc., and my door is always open for you." He responded with a teasing grin before adding "Just don't make a house call tonight, I already promised Kolya, and Hime bedtime stories."

"You're not seriously flirting with me too David, just because I'm technically a civilian, and now off the clock?" The Doc. asked him skeptically adding seriously "And please tell me you aren't insinuating that you're gonna have a threesome already."

"No. Do you want me to?" He answered as he stood up offering the Doc. his paw then adding as the Doc. shook it "It is merely a platonic invitation I promise, and no I simply promised to tell them about things I'm not talking with you about yet, though we will get there I'm sure."

"I too am a professional, and mindful of his reputation so no, and I see, so already they have that much of your trust. That you are still willing to try trusting mammals is a good thing." Dr. Rockwell commented as he turned to leave.

"Hime-chan has already guessed it, and Nick is family; trust me there're gonna be things you, and I discuss that only you and I will discuss." He turned back, and told the Doc. before making his way out of the Doc's office.

Heading down the hall towards the stairwell, and figuring the day was done he thought on what to do. Given the running on the track, and the obstacle course he'd done, and how well he could smell himself a shower was the first thing that came to mind. What sold him on it was the relaxation factor of hot water.

In much the same way that the relative wideness of the steps made it easier for both him, and Dusk to ascend the stairs as they had, it also made it easier to traverse down them bipedally. While he also could've easily descended the stairs in the same fashion, and with the same speed he had ascended them he wasn't inclined to be in a rush, or further exert himself when he could rest.

Back down on the first floor, with how empty it felt due to lack of traffic, and the dimensions of the floor designed to accommodate elephants, and even giraffes it brought back his initial feeling when he first stepped into the building. Thanks to the lack of traffic however, he was also able to grow more accustomed to it, the naturally palatial feeling, walking through the halls.

As he walked back into the barracks building he felt he was just about used to it; he still was going to prefer more bear sized buildings which felt just right in terms of there being ample space without the feeling of too much openness. There was plenty of room to run though, that he'd grant the quite necessary design. To him it was basic common sense that due to scale, and natural inclination, mammals like elephants stayed on the ground floor of buildings. In accounting for the simple fact that a building designed for elephants on every floor would have a low height limit inherent if it were to remain structurally sound it made evacuations during emergencies easier, since a million things could go wrong with an elephant sixty stories up in a skyscraper; it didn't hurt that most mammals of that size-class weren't exactly fond of heights, and were safety conscious enough on average to willingly accept the practicality.

Despite where his thoughts had gone as he followed the smell of water when he reached the barracks shower room he found himself woefully corrected. A room for bathing sized for mammals as large as elephants, and giraffes was vastly superior. He was also quite surprised, not that he'd really known what to expect. The changing room was little more than rows of cubbies of various sizes along the walls with parallel benches which led very openly into the 'dryer room', and then into the showers proper which at a glance seemed to be seperate doorless stalls.

Even with the clear sign that he was of a mind with a good number of his fellow cadets, he was able to easily find an out of the way cubby to store the garments he swiftly stripped out of, and left quite sure the odds of anyone taking them, since they smelled like him, were pretty low.

Walking past the dryer room into the shower room proper he noted that the stalls were in fact doorless, and the first few closest to the dryer room remained empty. The farthest of them to his right, from the spray he could see, was occupied, and so he chose the one immediately previous. As he neared on the empty stall he'd chosen he smelled, carried by the hot water, that it was Nick in the adjacent stall, and he couldn't help grinning at the coincidence.

Looking up at the shower head he did his best to position himself out of the line of fire before he turned on the spray, adjusting the knob for hot to the max while only turning the one for cold slightly. As the water came to temperature he adjusted the heat down to a more normal level, and the cold up slightly before stepping into the spray doing nothing to hide his sigh in relief.

"That you, Feral?" Nick asked him.

"Da, Brat Kolya." He responded turning around in the spray to further drench his coat.

"Brat Kolya? I know what you're saying, but you make me sound like a sausage." Nick responded amusedly before asking him "So did the headshrinker make a dent?"

"Oh, yeah a tasty sausage." He replied enthusiastically with a laugh before adding perversely "Mmm, yes bring that hot fox meat my way."

"I opened the door for that didn't I?" Nick asked with chagrin before saying "I take it you dented the headshrinker."

"Yes, you did. Dangle the carrot, and I will go for it." He told the tod amusedly before laughing like a hyena out of his own amusement at the insinuation then adding as he calmed down "You're actually gonna like the Doc. You're up next with him tomorrow; so I barely got to say hi to that sexy Angel with rosettes, what's your impression of him?"

"Sexy angel with rosettes?" Sarah asked curiously before there was the sound of water coming from the stall on the other side of him.

"Why are you asking me, and who are you talking about?" Nick asked though it sounded in his tone like the tod had an idea.

"Cloudpaw. I am biased, given he's the kind of sexy I'd be willing to lift my tail for, and I want your opinion." He answered them.

"Okay, that would be hot; he is a handsome tom." Sarah commented.

"Seriously?" Nick asked him, and Sarah both from the sound of it.

"Well, maybe . . . it is still the wrong hole, but he is that sexy . . . on the level Sarah do spines hurt?" He answered before moving his muzzle into the spray, and closed his eyes as his ears folded back to keep the water out.

"The wrong hole, but you'd still lift your tail for him?" Sarah asked curiously before answering him "They can, it depends."

"I have an oral fixation, not an anal one, but I'm not exactly a hundred percent against buttplay; more like eighty-five, ninety percent." He responded before adding "I'll keep that in mind."

"In other words alpha that you are you don't like the idea of being mounted." Nick said to him amusedly.

"If we're talking wolf sized males, or larger then yeah, and fuck yeah; if they try I'll probably go for their throat. A male your size on the other paw Brat Kolya; your knot might actually feel good." He responded adding with a laugh "Like I said, about ten percent for it."

No sooner had he said it than Sarah burst out laughing as if she'd just heard the funniest thing, and wheezing she managed to get out to them "I want to see that."

"Okay, just no Feral. Not even if I were drunk." Nick told him as Sara devolved into a giggling fit.

"What about roofied?" Sarah asked as she paused for wind before a few more giggles escaped her.

"Now, Sarah that is unethical, and also distasteful; I prefer the willing thank you very much, and abhor rape of any and all sorts." He chided her unamusedly despite his own amusement at her jest.

"Thanks Feral" Nick said to him with clearly mixed, but honest gratitude before adding to Sarah "And yeah being roofied is not fun; I kinda swore off vixens for a reason."

"Swore off 'em, huh? Mais fica, then." He couldn't help replying with a grin.

"I was just joking." Sarah defended herself as she managed to get her amusement under control, and added to Nick "I'm sorry, vixens have been cunts to you, that is not cool; I still think it'd be hilarious to watch you peg him Nick. Come on, the handsome wild tod taming the feral savage wolf . . . it'd be great."

"You find a fox, Sarah, we can talk; I find a fox, you're S.O.L." He told her bemusedly.

"I can't say I've heard that language before, Feral." Nick commented to him before saying to her "Thank you Sarah, and yeah you're gonna have to find a different fox. This one does not swing that way."

"Okay, would you be willing to help me find a fox? Nick?" Sarah asked with hopeful curiosity.

"Nope." Nick answered her flatly adding "Just 'cause I know foxes doesn't mean I'm just going to … just no."

"Oh, come on, why not?" Sarah asked pleadingly.

"Part of me doesn't want you to succeed in this undertaking you've chosen Sarah, but part of me can't help pointing out that, Nick, ultimately it'd be between me, and whichever fox agrees; they have the free will to choose for themselves, what harm is there in you giving her a name, or two?" He said to them before adding to Nick "It's one of the two phrases in Portuguese I happen to know, it means more for me."

"For a start the first name that comes to mind, if you must know, is my cousin, and that sort of roleplay would be right up his alley . . . gods...phrasing . . . and just no. I already know the two of you would hit it off, but like hell would I introduce you." Nick responded before chuckling "You want more vixens, you can take 'em."

"Let me guess, Johnny?" He asked, remembering his conversation with Lorelei, and Evie.

"Yeah, what? You already meet him? Or did Lorie just mention him?" Nick asked with reluctant curiosity.

"Just mentioned him, and as I told her, just 'cause you put two males that are homo, or bisexual in a room doesn't mean they'll fuck." He answered unhesitantly adding "Lorie wasn't wrong, statistically we tend to be more promiscuous so the probability is strong, but it's still not a guarantee."

"Really, you won't introduce them?" Sarah asked Nick curiosly.

"No, I won't. Lorie can do that, I will have no part in increasing the members of my family he sleeps with." Nick told her seriously.

"Hey Cousin, I'll wash your back if you wash mine?" He offered plainly.

"No." Nick responded flatly at which he couldn't help frowning.

"I can keep my paws to myself." He told Nick unable to not add implying it was the tod's loss "But if, no, is your answer then that is fine."

"I do not require assistance." Nick replied cordially.

"I'll take you up on that offer, if it still stands." Reed said to him from where he was a couple stalls over.

"Then get over here." He responded to the cheetah.

"Dang it, you beat me Mav." Sarah said with chagrin.

There were a few pawsteps then there at the entrance to the stall he was in Reed was standing, and reflexively he kept his eyes on the cheetah's muzzle.

"Damn, no wonder you picked me up like I weigh nothing." Reed complimented his physique, and he saw the cheetah's eyes subtly shift downward.

"Just get in here, and turn around." He told him, gesturing with his paw for emphasis, before adding "I'm in the practice of picking up a bitch about your size, just 'cause I can. Also the fire… mammals carry is the most efficient way to carry another, particularly larger mammals, the weight gets distributed more evenly."

"So I'm bitch sized, just great." Reed said with a laugh, as the already wet cat took a step into the stall then turned around.

"Would you pick me up just 'cause you can?" Sarah asked him teasingly.

"Hey, I'm bitch sized to the Sarge; that's just the way it goes." He responded as he got a dollop of shampoo from the wall dispenser in his paws, and beginning to work it into Reed's shoulders he answered Sarah "If you have no complaints with it loli-funsize Chibi-Hime; I will even carry you around."

"Oh my gods . . ." Reed said as he leaned back into his paws before melodramatically half-shouting "Felines! He knows the secret."

"Seriously? I haven't even really started." He asked Reed adding as he further kneaded along the cheetah's upper back "I have no idea what secret you're talking about."

The response he got was a purr, and at that he stopped saying "Do not start doing that, or we won't get out of here."

"Don't stop." Reed protested before telling him "I can't help it, and you gotta give; where, or how, did you learn our secret?"

"You really want to enjoy this, get on all fours." He said to Reed before adding "It's not really a secret. It's simply the proper way."

"Okay." Reed responded before saying once he was on all fours taking up almost a third of the stall "Simply the proper way huh? Come, on. You were a masseuse or something before you came here, right?"

"I worked at a bakery cafe, mostly as a waiter, and barista, but I got my paws dirty doing everything I could for Mike, and Erika . . ." He answered with a grin as he crouched beside Reed, and got started back on the cat's shoulders before telling him "I have no formal training, I'm just a passionate amateur."

"Just how dirty did you get your paws?" Sarah asked mischievously.

Reed loosed another purr before saying "Well, I surrender; I am in your paws."

"Please try not to purr, or else I _will_ find the ways to _make_ you purr . . ." He said to Reed making it clear with his tone just how the tom making those sounds would affect him.

He then conversationally answered Sarah "Get your mind out of the gutter; I've cleaned the restrooms, and lent cleaned paws to making dough - baking had actually been my mom's specialty so that was one area I was more than happy, and able to help with."

"I can't help it . . . ah, yes lower . . . " Reed responded as he moved his paws down the tom's spine a bit both kneading with his paws, and moving them in small circles.

"Look, all you need to do is cooperate, and hold still alright? No matter how relaxed you feel do not lie down, and please do not stick your ass in the air." He told Reed simply as he shifted onto one knee so he could reach the cheetah's right side easier as he began scrubbing along his ribs.

"You are a demon; that's exactly what I want to do, and I can't help it because of what you're doing. It feels too good." Reed told him as he bowed with another purr when he moved back from the cheetah's ribes to his shoulders.

"Okay, what the hell are you doing to him Feral?" Sarah asked curiously, and as the words came out of her it sounded like she was getting closer; then there she was as she finished her question standing in the full view of both of them.

"Reed, I'm sorry buddy, I'm not done with ya, but I don't think there's gonna remain room in here for the two of us." He told him reflexively as he paused his ministrations unable to tear his eyes from Sarah's petite, but athletic frame.

"You're telling me." Reed responded rhetorically.

"No, don't stop. Keep going." Sarah insisted encouragingly before she asked flirtatiously as she saw how his member had decided to peek out from his sheathe "You like what you see, David?"

"Why wouldn't I, loli-funsize Hime-koneko-chan?" He replied unhesitantly.

"Who wouldn't like what they see?" Reed asked Sarah before turning to him, and asking incredulously as his eyes widened slightly with his ears folding back "You really had to call her a loli? . . . No wonder you said there wouldn't be room for the both of us."

"Hey, she is a loli, but legal, and all the better for it." He said to Reed looking him square in the eye.

"Alright, Sarah, what are you encouraging them to do?" He heard Azure ask before quite presently there she too was not only standing next to Sarah, but blocking the both of them into the stall.

Seeing Azure completely naked in all her svelte obsidian lustre there was nothing he could do for the reaction of his swiftly battle ready member. If his eyes hadn't been glued to the big black cat in front of him he would've noticed the expression of Reed's muzzle before he turned away only for his ears to perk shockedly as he too got a look at Azure, and laughed.

"Well, you don't disappoint do you, but what gives?" Sarah asked him clearly both enjoying her view of him, and unhappy she hadn't quite gotten the response Azure had.

"Wow, so you weren't kidding when you said you think I'm muy linda?" Azure asked him barely hiding her satisfied grin behind a paw.

"Uh, ladies . . . can I at least have the room to run away? I have a girlfriend." Reed asked them hopefully.

" _Big black kitty . . ._ " He said in a half-whisper transfixedly before adding like a mantra "Bigger Fangs, Bigger Claws"

Then the slight panic in Reed's voice registered, snapping him out of it, and he told them taking charge of the situation "Reed, stay, I'm almost done with you. Sarah, you're next, and Azure if you are willing to be patient I will bathe you as well, though we may need to find a larger stall."

"What was that?" Sarah asked him curiously imitating as if in a trance "Bigger fangs, bigger claws."

"Gato. Negro. Grande?" Azure repeated his words in spanish as if tasting them for herself before saying to him "I do not mind waiting my turn, though there are plenty of other big black cats; what makes me so special to you."

"You, drive a hard bargain." Reed said to him somewhat reluctantly with a short mew emphasising his sentiment.

"Wow, so that's what you sound like pulling the alpha card." The peanut gallery of Nick added.

"Well, Mav, you got a job to do, you do it well, you gotta give the other fella a paw." He quoted his favorite bond theme as he picked back up where he'd left off getting the cheetah's lower back before adding "On that note, Nick you're lucky I'm not a female otherwise you'd be dying of Snu Snu right now, and this situation would be quite different; I imagine you'd be begging Reed here to save you."

He then looked to the two females in front of him, and flexing the muscle that was his cock, making it twitch he said to them "That, Sarah, was me stuck on cave mammal, and Azure, though it's true there are others like you, there is no other you in this universe, and you're the one in front of me."

"Why would you tell me that, and thank the Mother then that you are a male, and I'm not gay." Nick responded clearly taken off guard.

"How could you just say all that with such a straight muzzle while keeping your paws busy, and were you making it move?" Sarah asked him as if she couldn't believe either.

"Of course you'd say that, and I know you didn't mean that the way it sounded." Reed commented lowering his head as another relaxed purr emanated from him.

"It was nodding in agreement." Azure commented to Sarah with a grin before saying to him seductively fully taking advantage of her accent "So, diablo lobo with your _fijacion oral_ no wonder you have a _silver tongue_."

"No, just be glad you're not gay Brat Kolya, and I'm only ever going to use the truth to tease you; figured that'd give you something to stew over while you miss out." He corrected Nick before adding to Reed "In this case, yes, I meant it the platonic way you took it, but only 'cause you're like Nick."

He then answered Sarah while focusing on his task "I can say all that so straightly because I was merely stating facts; and I can keep my paws working as I speak, because I am capable of actually jerking off two males, or females while I'm going down on a third. Multitasking may be fictional from a neurological standpoint, but I seem to be able to do something no other I've slept with can do."

Addressing Azure however he looked at her rather pointedly, and told her "Believe me, my tongue is not plata, maybe in some spots, but only a few, and if you think talking to me like that will get me in the pad of your paw . . . you're not wrong, flirting with fuego, but not wrong."

"No, I am not gay, but damn… you make me wonder just how far I'd be willing to go with you." Reed said to him just as he was finishing scrubbing the outside of the cheetah's hindlegs.

"It's not gay to get a blowjob from another male." He couldn't help responding.

"Yes, I want to watch this." Sara commented enthusiastically.

"Really, Feral? You're gonna go there?" Reed asked him.

"Next time a lesbian turns you down, tell her that she doesn't have to be straight to enjoy you going down on her. The principle is the same." He answered succinctly, using an example he knew would be understood adding "In fact thanks to sexual dimorphism us males tend to have the longer, and larger tongues, so you could do it better."

"Hah! Yes, 'could', but not always 'do'." The voice that could only belong to Frost commented from what sounded like one of the first stalls from the left of the dryer room, and perpendicular to him.

"Then you've never encountered an enthusiast such as myself, Frost." He responded jovially before adding "I heard you were setting up to be my rival, I didn't expect you to talk to me."

"Oh, I have met a few like you, male and female alike, Brat Volk." Frost replied before telling him "And you can go Fulton yourself, _Feral_."

"Really?" He asked her unable to hide his amusement before asking her "Brat Volk already, but I can go extract myself?"

"Da, Brat..." Frost paused slightly as if searching for the word before settling on "Strigoi."

"Oh, okay; so that's what this is really about isn't it, Sestra? You know, as a David, it may be more fitting of me to cosplay as Solid especially Old Solid, but it's Big Boss, or nothing because I am a Diamond Dog."

"I am not dignifying you with further responses." Frost responded flatly.

"Well, then… " Sarah started to retort to Frost before asking him quickly "What was it you said earlier?"

She then finished her retort "Mash fika."

At that he couldn't help chortling before lightly correcting her "It's not mash as in mashed potatoes; it's more like mosh as is mosh pit. Don't ask me how to spell it, portuguese is like french they get creative with the alphabet."

"Sure, more for you." Reed agreed with Sarah before asking her "So can you let me go, so you can take my place."

"Oh, yeah, sure." Sarah responded readily backing up, and he watched as she leaned over peaking in on Nick telling him "You know Nick, David's not wrong, you are good looking even soaking wet."

"Well, thank you Sarah, I feel better hearing that from you." Nick responded before adding to him "Don't get butthurt Feral, it's just 'cause she's female."

"Butthurt? Really?" He asked Nick back adding scoffingly "As if I even have feelings."

He then added sincerely while Reed made his way out of the stall and clearly into the one Sarah had occupied most likely to finish rinsing his fur. "I get you though, but so ya know, if you'd rather I not tease you with the truth then I can refrain."

"You've made it abundantly clear where you stand with me, and where I stand with you; why would I mind?" Nick responded good naturedly.

"This unit is defective in the romance department, but good for everything else." Sarah mused as she dropped to all fours to take Reed's place.

"Yes, broken in a way auto-repair functionality can't fix." He agreed as he came back down on his haunches having gotten a fresh pawful of fur shampoo.

"So, is that thing even going to go down?" Azure asked curiously about his member just as the approaching Sarah reached for it with a paw.

"Have either of you gone away?" He asked back rhetorically as he used his empty left paw to swat at the one Sarah extended towards him.

"No." Azure answered simply though using the full inflection of her accent.

"Do you want us to?" Sarah asked him impishly as she turned around rather obviously running the length of her tail along him with the tip of it having wrapped around his head just behind his left ear only to slowly fall dragging along his neck, and chest.

"No." He answered her flatly as he moved down towards her shoulders having to ignore his urge to grab her tail with his right paw since the shampoo in it needed to go elsewhere, and for that reason he told her "Now, cooperate, and behave, and I can guarantee you will find it worth it. Please. I know it will be hard for you."

"It's hard enough for me already." Sarah responded her tail coming around this time to get his right side.

"Technically it's hard enough for me, he just seems to have the stamina for both of us" Azure corrected her a little smugly before ceding to her "You're the smart one who got to him first."

"You know how I meant that smart ass." He told Sarah as he started lathering up her shoulders grinning at the thought of how his now empty right paw was free to smack her rear, a thought he put on the backburner before he told them both "I am hard enough for the both of you. Since you cannot claim me, there is no reason to fight, or be jealous; simply patient. We have barely just met, can we not fuck as a denouement to out first encounter?"

He then, because it followed suit, said pointedly to the cheetah relaxing under his paws " _Sarah_ , you do want find out how accurate your guess really is, _don't you_? It wasn't for no reason that I avoided bringing it up with the Doc. I could have."

"Wow, Feral; I don't even know what to say to that other than you're a piece of work for a lust demon, and blow preconceived notions to wreck" Nick said to him before there was the silence of him shutting off the water followed predictably by the sound of him shaking his fur dry a bit before there were the sound of his pawsteps then he said "Seriously, Feral? You're just hanging out like that?"

" _She_ started it." He told Nick gesturing with his muzzle at Sarah, before telling him as he got a clear view of the tod's sheath "Azure just made it worse. Since they're staying so is it; hopefully I can walk it off."

"I could finish it." Sarah suggested turning back to look at it, and knowing that was where she was looking he flexed it again, grinning deviously as she followed the motion.

"I'm fuckin' high tailing it; I will chat with you later, neighbor." Nick who had by unfortunate happenstance witnessed that, said to him before quickly heading to the dryer room; exiting stage left as it were.

" _Or,_ I could finish it; I would not mind." Azure counter suggested.

"Alright, you cooperate, and behave too Azure." He told her as he couldn't help the way her saying that made his cock twitch of its own accord, adding "If anyone's going to finish it, it'll be me, and you can just enjoy the show."

"Seriously? You'd rather do that in front of us than let either of us help?" Sarah asked him incredulously.

"Luego?" Azure asked him as if expecting him to know what she meant, and simply add confirmation.

"Mi espanol es muy pequeño, pero if you mean what I think you do, then si, luego." He answered her before leaning towards Sarah's left ear to say as he ran his left paw down her left foreleg "What do we tell the sexy princess? Like Death, Not Today. For now . . ."

All he got from Sarah was a mew of protestation that while adorable in its genuineness was ultimately ineffective.

Azure on the other paw responded "Bueno, then as el diablo lobo has told us, all we need Sarah is a little paciencia; we can use the starter instructions tomorrow, and see how far we get."

"How about we just play that one by ear?" He counter suggested semi-firmly as he straightened back up, and went back to massaging the lather down her spine and along her ribs as he had with Reed though it was easier given her size.

"That's right, the starter instructions for this broken… how did Nick put it? Demon machine." Sarah said with a hum as she arched her back into his touch adding "If I can get you to bathe me just from being naked like this, I'm curious to see how far those directions will get me."

"I will tell you this Princesa, you will not always be the smart, or lucky one to get to him first." Azure said to Sarah simply before telling her earnestly "That older guapo lobo warned us for a reason."

"If I'm the village motorcycle, and everyone can get a ride, then what reason do you have to contest over when you get to ride. Also you do know I have room for the both of you." He said to them unable to not grin at the ridiculousness of how far he carried the euphemism.

"That's right." Sarah said adding to Azure "You can sit on his muzzle, while I ride his knot."

"Seriously, you're gonna make the quibble about position when there's a thing called rotation?" He asked her as if she were being stubborn which in a way she couldn't seem to help herself from being.

"I like this rotation idea. I kind of want to see if he can take the Snu-Snu." Azure commented partly to him, but mostly to Sarah.

"We need pawcuffs. He will want to get away." Sarah responded with a nod.

"Says who? Bring it on. Cuffs would just add to the effect, the question becomes where with a good wall . . ." He retorted offended at the idea that he'd run from them as he moved on to her lower back adding with the same tone he'd told her to cooperate "Like I told Mav, don't stick your ass in the air; please."

Sarah however had a different idea as she got down on her forelegs resting her chin on her paws relaxedly while keeping her hind legs under her, and brought her tail up to drape over the back of his neck. He could only frown down at her, as the part of her spine he'd been kneading sank beneath his paws, and to prove the point he didn't follow her down to compensate.

He also since now both paws were full of lather, and it was the easier thing to do, leaned over, and nipped her rear lightly with just his fangs before telling her "If you want to pretend be a rug made out of a cheetah, I do full body massages, but you'd have to be on a bed for that."

There was startled mew from Sarah at that, which made Azure giggle, as she quickly stood back up, then turned to him saying "You _are_ a demon." which she punctuated with a sound that seemed to resemble a meow, and was split between frustration, and protestation.

"You weren't a masseuse, but you do full body massages?" Azure asked him curiously adding "Do you charge?"

"No, I do not charge . . ." He answered her before trailing off as he clearly saw Frost enter his field of vision, look at him, look down where his cock may have twitched, then walk in the direction of the dryer room.

Azure who had noticed his distraction turned in time to see who it had been, and as she turned back towards him she asked "So, the other sexiest girl in our class, according to you, wants nothing to do with you; you don't care?"

"It's hard to care when that's actually par for the course for me, and I'm already living a dream with the two of you in here with me such as you are; plus I may still win her over as a friend - we are Brat, and Sestra afterall." He answered her as he resumed his almost done task of bathing her.

"That is just weird, you do mean brother and sister right? You can say that of each other, yet not even be friends." Sarah said to him confusedly.

"Living a dream, already?" Azure asked him raising her eyebrow as she put her left paw on her hip, and shifted her stance to accentuate her figure.

He was about to answer them as he began to massagingly scrub Sarah's left hind leg, but he was distracted again; this time by the approach of the male tiger in their class who having stopped as he passed by said to him sounding as if he were light in the loafers if such things would ever exist in a world like this one "I was going to ask what you were doing to her to make her make that sound, but clearly they've been the one's torturing you. Doesn't that thing hurt?"

"No . . . it doesn't . . ." He answered the tiger not hiding the way he got an eyeful, and then some both of his white chest, and abdomen, as well his sheathed member before explaining "I told her to behave, and cooperate, nicely, and she decided to test the boundaries; also I do full body massages, but that requires a bed, so this cheetah has no choice but to wait."

"You do full body massages, and that requires a bed?" The tiger asked curiously raising an eyebrow at him.

"Where else would you lie naked comfortably? You want a free happy ending, bite and scratch are the starter instructions" He answered in response.

At that Sarah growled, lightly, but warningly at the tiger with Azure adding "What she said. There's a line."

"Bite, and scratch?" The tiger asked curiously adding to Azure "A line huh? De nada."

"Yes, because I am into the Fang and the Claw." He answered the tiger adding flirtatiously " _You_ have bigger claws, and bigger fangs than even the Alluring Azure, plus white fur is sexy."

When Sarah growled warningly again a little louder this time he couldn't help chiding her "You do realize I just want to suck his dick, where as you I want to knot like the perfect loli-neko you are Hime-chan?"

" _Mew._ " Was Sarah's response as his words seemed to mollify her.

"I like how you're upfront Feral; I will keep that in mind." The tiger said to him before winking at him then walking away towards the dryer room.

"White fur is sexy, huh? Then how come you didn't come all the way out of your sheath for her, but you did for me?" Azure asked him pointedly again using the full inflection of her accent.

"Yes, white fur is sexy. So is red fur like on a fox, tiger, or red panda. What is the color that added with those completes the trifecta? Black in all it's lustrous glory." He responded before telling her as he wrapped his right paw around Sarah's right hip for emphasis "I want to fuck this loli-cat because she perfectly legal, and still such a loli-neko, but self restraint is called for with smaller females. You on the other paw, divine creature that you are, are not smaller than me, and self restraint is unneeded . . . just as much as the fact I can pick up this chibi-hime, and fuck her into a wall is a turn on, so is the fact that you could pick me up, and throw me against a wall."

"Wait, so when you say self restraint is called for?" Sarah asked curiously as he finished scrubbing her down leaving her only needing to rinse.

"With just one of you I might not be able to keep it from peeking, but I can keep it in check; with the both of you, no dice." He answered her.

"You want me to throw you against a wall?" Azure asked him as Sarah turned around, and moved him aside so she could rinse under the spray he'd been essentially blocking the whole time.

"You are a stronger predator than I am, and I find that incredibly sexy; I just want you to show that off with me." He responded taking a step forward to give the now upright Sarah a little more room.

"I am only a head taller than you, and don't weigh much more than you do; and you think I'm the stronger predator?" Azure said to him skeptically.

"So that is why you think she's sexier than I am, even as you clearly love the fact I am smaller than you? You really did flirt with the Sergeant then? Since she's by species the top pred on the planet." Sarah added inquiringly as she turned around under the spray.

"The only combat advantage I have over you Azure is reach; my forelegs and hind legs are half a foot longer more or less." He told her with it clear in his tone how wrong he thought she was before saying to Sarah "Ya got me. Ya caught the tater. Yes, I did try flirting a little with the Sarge, and that is exactly why; though getting in her pants wasn't, and still isn't, on my list. Not like with either of you."

"Right." Sarah said amusedly with a touch of sarcasm to which Azure quipped "Eres un gato lobo loco."

"Si." He responded with a curt nod, before giving Azure a broad grin.

"Alright, your turn." Sarah said to Azure as she stepped out of the spray, and moved passed her, before turning around, and eying him.

"You are going to watch?" Azure asked her as she took a turn under the spray to rewet her fur before she dropped onto all fours.

"I'm curious to see if that thing will even go down." Sarah responded seriously, but there was something in her tone to him that sounded like she was obfuscating her real intention.

"Oh, it will." He told her as he crouched then stood upright only long enough to get a fresh pawful of fur shampoo, this time in his left paw since he learned, before he crouched again after sidestepping into range of Azure's shoulders.

"That's right you were saying something about giving us a show, instead of letting us help you with that." Azure said to him encouragingly as he began kneading her shoulders lathering up the shampoo.

"I kinda gave the Sarge my word it'd be a couple days before I got to fraternizing; you want a show I have no problem giving you one." He responded moving his paws forward to get the base of her neck, and enjoying feeling the muscle underneath her pelt; muscle that gave her the third strongest bite strength of all felines behind tigers and lions.

"You mean a couple days until you need to… sate your need..." Sarah said to him pausing, and clearly trying to be inconspicuous in her word choice.

"Mmm… you are good at this… and I can smell you… " Azure hummed to him throatily before purring rather robustly as she dipped her head, and closed her eyes adding absentmindedly "Promise me a full body massage, and you can bite me all you want vampiro."

"Offsetting for the amount I did not give back to the Sarge, and taking into account how active I've been . . . yeah, thursday, or friday rolls around." He said to Sarah before adding to Azure "Promise me I can bathe you like this again, and you have a deal."

"Deal." Azure told him surely.

"Can I make the same deal?" Sarah asked him curiously before adding "You haven't actually washed your fur have you?"

"Deal, then for the both of you." He responded with a nod as he moved back to Azure's shoulders then used both paws to focus on her left foreleg adding to Sarah "No, I have not. My priorities have been elsewhere."

"I could do that for you." Sarah offered clearly wanting to.

"Or, I can" Azure countered with another throaty purr, that sent a fresh wave of blood to his already engorged member, not that it needed it.

"If you both want to wash me, as i have you, once I'm done with you Azure, I certainly won't tell you 'no'. I will however tell you to mind your paws as i have minded mine" He responded to them, finishing Azure's left foreleg, and moving on to her left side working both paws in tandem.

"That works too, though really you minded your paws?" Sarah asked him skeptically before adding curiously "You really like it when we purr, _don't you_?"

"I could've grabbed your hips good, and shoved my muzzle right in your... vagina; I did not" He answered her plainly adding " Knowing I'm the one inducing the purring, as well as the purrs themselves . . . It's the same with how making a female come, and hearing the proof of that is what really gets me off. Why it never really bugs me when no one reciprocates."

"You weren't going to say vagina were you?" Azure asked him curiously before purring again though lightly as she leaned into his touch.

"No one reciprocates?" Sarah inquired pointedly clearly wanting clarification.

"I was going to say pussy, it's the colloquial term for vagina I grew up with." He answered Azure as he moved his paws up to get along her spine before telling Sarah "It's a surprisingly common trend, surely you've noticed too, you blow a guy but he can't return the favor, you get a bitch to come with your tongue alone, and then she's good, but leaves you hanging, or in a sixty nine you're eating the girl on top of you out like it's what you live for, and she's too caught up enjoying what you're doing to make it an actual sixty nine instead of just her sitting on your face. Nobody can really do two things at once, but i can. I guess 'cause I'm used to using my fangs and my tongue in tandem to do two very different things at the same time."

"It can mean vagina too?" Azure asked before laughing rather amusedly before the spot he was getting with his right paw along her lower back got another purr out of her.

"Talking to a pair of female pussies, about eating pussy." Sarah said with a few giggles of her own in amusement at that before telling him quite seriously "What is with you just having all these epiphanies, like 'here ya fuckin' go'? First it's the Buddy system I'm still blown away by, then its lesbians don't have to be straight to enjoy a male going down on them, and now this… hardly fucking ever does anyone reciprocate… it's so true, and i kinda feel bad cause I've been guilty of it too."

"Yeah, you're not wrong about that… " Azure started to say before she raised her head back, and said to him throatily "Madre! Were you raised by gatos y that is why you have . . . ah, such paws?"

"Who doesn't enjoy playing with food?" He asked jokingly before starting with Azure, grinning as he noted just where along her lower back he'd focused both paws "No, I was not raised by cats. For that matter I wasn't raised by wolves, but the rest is classified like I shouldn't even have told you that much, and begged the question. In fact I have just told you more than I shared with the Doc. also more than I shared with Veronica just in telling you it's classified."

He then used his veer onto that tangent to address Sarah while he moved his paws lower within range to begin working on Azure's left hind leg "I don't know what to tell you Sarah, about being some sort of revelation dispenser; these are just observations of mine, and the whole bit about the buddy system is you not me, I knew about it, but never made that leap - you did."

"You sure are playing with us." Sarah joked before saying to him sympathetically "If you don't want to talk about it I understand, but you were adopted?"

"No, I was not. That is the truth, but I cannot tell you any more." He responded his tone echoing the same earlier deathly seriousness he had when he'd given her the look he had before telling her as if there _were_ a bright side "I can tell you though, Sarah, that is the answer to a different question."

"You are not adopted, but you weren't raised by wolves? You are not a coyote. That is classified?" Azure asked him clearly at a loss.

"No way . . ." Sarah gasped in shock taking a half-step back.

Having been staring the back of Azure's head as if there were a miniature radscorpion there, he saw clearly the resolute expression on Sarah's muzzle when she took a step forward, and shook her head before telling him "I'm not jumping to conclusions; you are going to tell me aren't you."

"It is absolutely classified. Even with your sex appeal, and my weaknesses, you would have to torture it out of me. Because I am a wolf in all my feral ferocity." He told Azure measuredly both to convey his seriousness, and his general levity before he couldn't help laughing "Wolves, such ferocious beasts, the murderers of sheep our livestock, fit only to be killed like the vermin they are."

He then added bitterly, and mockingly "So sayeth the Shepherd in the hearing of the very Wolf who Swore to Protect the Flock. Call even an Angel, a demon, enough times and they will show you the devil's face. _Who Dishonoured the Pact First? Not I, the one who Remembers, and Keeps it._ "

"David?" Sarah tentatively said to him.

"Who hurt you, guapo lobo?" Azure asked him sympathetically turning her head around to look at him as he used his left paw to scrub her left hind leg while moving his right paw back up her spine from the base of her tail which he had reached.

"Yes, Sarah?" He asked her calmly before answering Azure with a smile more out of enjoyment with how his paws were occupied "Ultimately, I hurt me. Now turn around so I can get your other side."

"When you say livestock, you mean like ostrich, and turkey right?" Sarah asked him as if she knew the answer, and it horrified her, but she couldn't help asking which was echoed on her muzzle.

"No. Who hurt you, David?" Azure said to him insistently as she turned around fully facing him before sitting on her haunches.

"I'm sorry Sarah, but I've said to much, and that's classified; I just couldn't help the monotheism line about wolves - I grew up in a catholic family." He said to her apologetically with a shrug before telling Azure "I raised the blade, I made the change, I hurt me. Over time it is no wonder that the pact would be dishonoured, if you read the Old Testament, that's all they do. Dishonour every Pact eventually because they forget the Spirit of the Pact."

"Rocky is right, you use that word, and it means I don't really want to know, I really don't fucking want to know." Sarah said to him before asking him tentatively "You really didn't have a part in any of those things did you? You just saw too much, and had to keep quiet?"

"La Alianza antes de el Diez Mandatos . . ." Azure commented with awe her eyes widening before saying to him with clear seriousness "Usted esta una Angel del Juramento . . . showing us all the muzzle of un diablo."

"Yes, the covenants before the commandments, the example that proves my point, about how our efforts to make peace get stymied." He responded to her, not knowing quite where the bit about making peace came from, before he asked her "Angel de what now? The Jury?" then added with a shrug "Yo soy es un Diablo del Tempestad y Lujuria asi como la Guerra Espiritual."

"Hime-chan, nein, und nyette, to nai, y no. I took no part in those things, and I had no need to keep quiet because what I saw was just another day there." He told her not forgetting her question which he couldn't afford to leave unanswered, lest she, or anyone speculate.

"Just another day in hell there?" Sarah asked him gloomily before adding with her muzzle lighting up hopefully "No wonder you don't want to go back so badly, and why you would fight to stay here."

"Just another day in paradise." He responded unable to not think of the song, which he would now have to listen to once he got back to his phone in his room, before saying to Azure "Are you going to come here so I can finish?"

"I am right here, Noche Angel del Juramento." Azure said to him not moving before adding "For someone who only knows pequeno espanol, you speak it pretty well; it means vow, or oath."

"That's not funny. I like that song." Sarah said to him with a slight frown for emphasis.

"Si, ahi tu es; and with that spell you just cast you want me to come to you - as a devil my magic is stronger, and I will not allow you to win this shit test just 'cause I am inclined to. You come to me, please; cooperate." He responded to Azure before adding with a nod "Ja, Nacht-Engel ist recht und ja I guess you could say that . . . juramento es verdad."

He then added to Sarah with a grin "If it makes you feel any better I now have to listen to it once I get back to my room."

"Obstinado lobo." Azure said to him with irritation as she moved forward, and surprised him both with how quickly she moved and the fact that with her right paw she reached around his left shoulder pulling him from his position sitting upright on his haunches forward into a hug, pressing the right side of her neck into his as she told him "You've done enough, let us bathe you. Bueno?"

"I'm almost done with you, what happened to paciencia?" He replied in protest with mild irritation as he couldn't help pressing back into the embrace.

"Nope. Our Turn." Sarah told him brightly as she lived up to her name in getting behind him where he soon felt the relative cool of the shampoo in her paw against his fur.

"Esta bien." Azure added as she pulled away from him only to come back with her left side, and bodily pushed him back into Sarah's paws as she rubbed the lather from her neck, and shoulder onto him.

"Azure . . . do that again, and I will try to fuck you." He told her growling lightly, but warningly with his fangs bared as his member throbbed; his tail would've risen behind him, but it wound up trapped between Sarah's hind legs which didn't help things in the least.

Then Sarah decided to put her claws into it, and though by his standards she was barely using them at all, it was not ineffective as he in response to them sat back up straight as if there were magnets in his shoulders that were negatively charged compared to her positively charged paws, and growled throatily in pleasure.

"You will try to fuck me, eh? Is that a warning?" Azure asked him teasingly as she came forward again her hind paws nearly touching his as she ran her claws up through the fur of his abdomen to his chest before she began kneading him just as Sarah was doing to his shoulders, all the while completely avoiding his erection.

"It sounded more like a promise to me." Sarah said to Azure before she teasingly licked his left ear, and the way that turned him on made his lips curl over his fangs.

"It _was a warning_." He growled to them as seriously as he could despite how he couldn't hide the way they were affecting him.

"Oh, was it?" Azure inquired bemusedly before as if it were a game she leaned forward, and licked him along his throat all the way to his chin.

" _Azure . . ._ " He growled at her expressing just how that turned him on before he began panting lightly telling them " _Sarah… unless you two plan on washing out anytime soon, we don't need to rush things, agreed?_ "

"Agreed, Feral, and that's why you're the wildcard. Can't say I've met a male who'd say that sort of thing." Sergeant Furschia's voice carried to them from the direction of the dryer room as she approached.

Then there she was, in all her glory, which he could see even with Azure obstructing most of his view, and he was grateful for the obstruction she proved to be between him, and the Sarge both, saying to them "Especially one who managed to get two females into a shower stall that small."

"It helps that I'm tiny." Sarah commented as she pressed her chest against him, leaning on him, as she ran her paws down along his ribs.

"It was _hard_ not to join him." Azure added looking back over her shoulder at the Sarge while bending slightly trying to reach for his member with her left paw, an action hidden by most of her body, but not by the way she moved.

"I don't think you could get stuck to him in that position Cadet." Sergeant Furschia responded with a chuckle as he managed to grab, and still Azure's paw.

"We can't actually get stuck to him." Sarah clarified absently as she ran her paws back, and forth along his ribs idly with a purr.

"Yeah, that's a canid only issue." He added before reaching up with his free right paw for Sarah's right ear which he massaged saying to her "Good kitty, behaving."

He then looked at Azure who had turned back towards him, and was looking at her paw where he held it just out of range of his member she was still obscuring from the Sergeant's view, and told her "As for you, you _naughty kitty_."

When she looked up at him, her attention caught by his suave delivery, he punctuated his statement by giving her nose a quick boop with his own. The surprised look on her muzzle as well as the way her tail echoed the sentiment were amusing to him so he, with a grin, upped the ante leaning forward again this time giving her nose a quick lick just the tip of his tongue flicking past his muzzle.

"Canid only? Huh." Sergeant Furschia commented with a raised eyebrow asking Sarah who effectively had draped herself over him "You don't happen to like wolves, like he likes cats, do you Swift?"

"Lost my virginity to a coyote, and now knowing both; if you gave me the choice between knots, and spines I choose knots." Sarah responded.

"Not sure you're gonna find anyone, ma'am, who loves all canidae, and felidae the way I do. Much like the Mother of Wolves, the Mother of Cats is a sister of mine." He said to Sergeant Furschia before telling Sarah looking back at her as she rested her head on his left shoulder "I'm a bit bigger than a coyote. In fact it's safe to say I make even male coyote look like adolescents."

"Yeah." Sarah responded to him lazily seeming quite comfortably.

"So is it just that knots hurt less, or do they hurt differently?" Azure asked Sarah curiously as in his moment of distraction she managed to get her other paw around his testicles.

"I am liking less, and less this talk of sex as something that is painful; it tells me males worse than amateurish have done very wrong by you beautiful females." He said in response to Azure's question with it clear how distasteful he found the notion before he asked her honestly "Azure, for the love of all that his holy please do not squeeze."

"You've seen it for yourself, how smooth it is; trust me that part feels way better, but knots can be a challenge depending on its size, and yours. Everything has it's trade off." Sarah answered Azure before asking him "Where is she grabbing that you don't want her to squeeze?"

"Mi huevos." He answered at about the highest pitch he was capable of with an almost tea kettle like whine as Azure instead of letting go began to rub gently, before the fact of her gentleness registered in his brain, and he bodily relaxed.

"Are you a masochist too, Feral?" Sergeant Furschia asked him as if that would be the cherry on top of the sundae.

"I have sadomasochistic tendencies, but no I am neither a true masochist, or sadist." He answered the Sarge before explaining "Like I told the Doc. males don't bite another male's penis off out of vindictive spite, or whim; females do, just because they can, and it'd make them feel better."

"Really, David, you were afraid?" Azure asked him adding with her horror at the idea clear "You thought I was going to hurt you?"

"No, I wasn't. Just nervous. If you wanted to cause me serious pain, with ease, and rapidity you could do so, and then some." He answered her relaxedly, not minding one bit the way she was softly kneading his testes in her paw, adding with his usual brevity "Unmale me, and I will kill myself, by drinking bleach if anyone keeps me from the pecans. Under that condition I refuse to live."

"David." Azure said to him her voice full of both incredulity, and sympathy as she did not stop her ministration " _Who hurt you?_ "

"Part of me isn't surprised you of all mammals just said all that, because you're you Feral, but I'm with Cenote on this, who the fuck hurt you?" Sergeant Furschia added with legitimate concern before commenting "The fucked up part is you're not wrong, that's a thing females do to males."

"We all have noses, you _were_ afraid she was going to use too much pressure weren't you? Have you been hurt so many times before that's your conditioned response?" Sarah said to him topping off the concerned conclave.

"Nobody hurt me, certainly not like what you're thinking; I was merely stating facts." He responded before saying to Azure, and by extension Sarah "Okay, so I was a little afraid, I'm used to females not knowing how much grip is too much . . . or too little for that matter . . ."

"David." Azure said getting his attention before she released him then pressed her nose against his in a solid boop she transitioned into a nuzzle along his snout as she wrapped her paw around his member and told him "I would not do that."

"I am well aware of that now." He responded assuringly his eyes closed as he returned the nuzzle.

"Alright, you three need to get a room, and this one ain't it." Sergeant Furschia told them with it clear in her tone that they had better read the message loud and clear without her having to spell it out further.

That was all the cue he needed, and so he stood taking Sarah, who in surprise wrapped her right arm around his neck, with him before he offered his paw to the now empty pawed Azure.

"Okay, that's more than I wanted to see of you Feral; though I should've figured as much." Sergeant Furschia said to him as he turned into the shower spray with Sarah while she turned around beginning to head off towards the larger stalls down the L=shaped shower room.

"My apologies, ma'am." He responded before she was out of earshot unable to not grin as he noted that likely due to her height, and their positioning in the stall the Sergeant had simply seen over Azure.

Once he had himself rinsed he let go of Sarah so he could pull Azure into the spray since she needed rinsing while he moved into the other corner of the stall. Where it had taken a solid minute for the shower spray to work it's magic on his coat, thanks to her short fur, Azure much like Sarah as well was rinsed clean in what seemed like seconds.

When Azure was done he turned the water off, and she turned around leading the way out, and towards the dryer room. As soon as he had the room to, since he was still like iron, he dropped to all fours which would at least hide the fact for the most part though not entirely. Following after Azure, and easily catching up to her, he found her tail tip was level with his nose so as if he were walking after it instead of her he kept pace with it within licking distance.

Sarah, who had likewise gotten on all fours, had a similar idea, but she kept pace close enough he could feel her breath hot, and tickling against his testicles. In the dryer room they broke their formation, such as it was, as they moved to share one of the larger vent pads likely meant for a hippo, or similar sized mammal.

Azure who reached the vent's wall controls first, and was both tall enough and vertical enough to easily operate them, got it going. In the few seconds it took him, and Sarah to get on the pad themselves she had the fan turned to max. Sarah, like some sort of eager cub, with a hop to Azure's side jumped turning the temperature knob up nearly to max before gravity brought her back down. Azure's response was simply to reach with her left paw, and start the vent before she too dropped to all fours then shook herself to get out more water from her fur.

Seeing her do so he couldn't help joining in, and if not for the force of the air he'd have quite succeeded in getting both Azure, and Sarah. Where the two females barely had to shake their paws as the vent did the lion's share of the work he on the other paw had to continue using the full body shake in bursts in order to properly get dry.

Lorelei, and Evalyn both had learned from his example that the shake to dispel water was much easier to do on all fours, but they both expressed that after a while it got irritating even though it halved the time they each needed to run the wolf sized device in their apartment. For him however, as he'd done his best to explain to them, it scratched a primal itch in his brain he'd never been able to scratch before - it was the most efficient way to get dry by far, yet humans were incapable of the feat with attempts producing disorienting effects due to both the way their inner ear fluid worked, and their brains rocked inside their skulls; it had to do with how they were basically structured, and the fact they were furless.

As his repeated shaking, and the dryer vent did their work it had the effect of making him look ' _fluffy._ ' something he was glad was only temporary because he was by no stretch ' _fluffy_ '. Just as he was reminiscing over Evalyn's joke about it, and his response Sarah it seemed had a notion similar to Evie's, perhaps shared via quark through the collective unconscious, or collective subconscious.

"Oh, my gods! You're so _Fluffy! I'm gonna die!_ " Sarah said to him quoting what was titled here 'Despicable Moi'.

"Nonsense. Not a fluffy bone in my body. Had them all removed." He responded with a grin exactly as he had to Evie paraphrasing a one Doctor Mobius.

At that Azure rather femininely giggled in amusement before saying "Only the hard bone is left."

"Huh-hah!" He laughed totally off guard by her quip adding as he chuckled heartily "Yes, yes it is."

"Hahaha; that's a good one, Azure." Sarah said to her, her own laughter in surprise spluttering out of her.

After Azure shut off the vent they walked together into the changing room, and while the two females got dressed they watched him as he paced back, and forth until his member had retreated. Since in the time it took for him to walk it off they'd gotten themselves fully dressed, and so to catch up he only bothered to put back on his shorts going sans boxers and shirt.

"Free ballin' it, huh?" Sarah commented to him amusedly as he reached behind him to button the strap of cloth that went over his tail and quite effectively kept them up.

"Yep, it's called I don't give a fuck, sweetheart." He responded to her with a chuckle before he yawned stretching his arms above his head.

"I'm not complaining." Sarah replied, and he could hear in her voice the way she was eyeing him.

"No, neither am I." Azure added likewise clearly enjoying the view, though there was a twinge of amusement in her tone.

"Good." He told them as he lowered his arms, before walking past them towards the doorway with another yawn stopping about three steps past Azure who had been closer to the entrance, then turning to wait for them.

When he saw that they were moving to follow he resumed leading the way though he was by no means in any hurry. In a rough triangle they made their way down the hall to the stairs in comfortable silence.

It wasn't until they'd reached the stairs that he thought to ask "So which rooms are you lovely ladies in?"

"I'm in three-eleven." Sarah answered first with light laugh clearly amused by the fact, adding "Neighbor."

"I am in three-seventeen at the end of the hall." Azure answered similarly amused.

"Oh, great so we're in a sort of pocket, at the end of the hall; that isn't going to lead to things at all." He responded with a laugh of his own before adding as he leaned forward coming down on his forepaws onto the stairs.

"Oh, no not at all." Sarah agreed with similar mirthful sarcasm.

"Is it simply easier for you to move like that in general?" Azure asked him curiously.

"I know, look at his muscles move under his coat." Sarah said to Azure, and he could just picture the look on her muzzle as if all she needed was popcorn.

"In case you haven't noticed, I have memory issues. There was more than one reason the TUSK Instructor escorted me to the Doc. Part of the upshot of those issues is that I'm compensating with my instincts, instincts that got reinforced by what I remember of wolves on my own; which is about as succinct, and honest as I can put it." He said to them, his ear twitching as he listened to the way his voice carried in the stairwell, as he brought his hind legs up a few steps before he started taking the stairs at a pace not much faster than theirs adding conversationally "Like I told the Sarge, about Frost setting herself as my rival. She is going to win the contest of being, or at least acting, Civil, but she will never win the Feral contest. The patience of a sniper is something to be touted, but so to is the patience of a baker; it is a testament to Erika that I can actually pull off the civilized act that I can."

"So, how did that go? We're all going to have to at least talk with him once aren't we?" Sarah asked him curiously as if this wasn't exactly her first rodeo.

"What you remember of wolves?" Azure asked him curiously adding compassionately "You have had to relearn acting civilized?"

"We talked, about quite a few things; I like him, and kinda want to groom him tail and all, just to do it. We are all going to talk with him quite a bit; he is, afterall, the one with probably the most important job here, making sure we're mentally fit for the rigors of out duty." He answered Sarah casually before telling Azure "I should've told him that besides my new family who I can trust, I am fully capable of making friends, and have the knack for being perhaps more open with them than I perhaps should. I passed the background check to enter this place because I don't have one; I am an amnesiac who has had to start over with only his given name. My surname isn't the one I got from my family, that one is lost to me, it's the one I've chosen."

He added further as he reached the first landing, and turned heading up to the second floor landing "There's what I remember of my life in Califurnia, a huge gap, and then these new memories I've made in my new life here in Zootopia. Like I told Dusk, I have a new dream, a Zootopian dream."

"So you chose Ulfherz? You chose the meaning on purpose?" Sarah asked curiously as if mentally pouncing before adding sympathetically "So, when you were talking about your mom giving you your name . . .?"

"So, you're now a citizen of the Zootopian State?" Azure asked adding curiously "How long did it take you? I was fortunate enough to come when I was little, I did not really notice the years it took."

"I have a really good lawyer; I woke up just over a month ago in the Tundra Town woods with only my fur, my given name, and my thoughts. It wasn't until I was spoken to that speech came back to me in a torrent. Because there is no record of me that anyone can find, since I can't remember the surname necessary to begin a search that I can already tell you would be fruitless, and because I am seeking asylum to the point I before a judge renounced my birth country, I was shown leniency. Still had to take, and pass the history, and ideals tests, but as a former American the ideals part was easy, and in living with a high-schooler learning the history was simple - history is one of my favorite subjects anyway." He explained to Azure readily though his tail in it's lifelessness broadcasted alongside his tone that he knew full well how many years the citizenship process could take before he said to Sarah "Sometimes when people ask me things, hell sometimes when I'm just talking to someone, memories from my old life will come back, or ones that have resurface due to relevance. Yes, I chose Ulfherz because Ulf-Seele doesn't have the same ring to it, and the meaning still fits what I want it to convey about the core of who I am."

"Really, you renounced your American citizenship? Couldn't you have just gone for dual?" Sarah asked him surprisedly before adding "If Ulfherz means Wolf Heart then the zee-le is what? German for soul?"

"Si; you would go so far?" Azure asked adding with clear confusion as they continued talking while they passed the second floor "If my abuelo had not brought us here we would've gone to America."

"If I went to Califurnia I'd have to start over there same as I am here. No surname, no way to prove my American citizenship. I am already here." He responded to them shaking his head slightly that they hadn't realized that obvious fact before telling Sarah "You have the right of that, what Ulf-Seele means."

"I thought Americans were all supposed to be patriotic?" Sarah said to him curiously before adding with a frown "Okay, that officially just sucks; you've lost so much you couldn't even go home."

"That does suck." Azure agreed with a nod.

"Well, Death _Is_ a Preferable Alternative to Communism." He answered Sarah deepening his voice to quite the effect when combined with the acoustics of the stairwell before adding more normally "Ulfheim _is_ my home."

There were silent after that as they finished making their way to the third floor. Once on the third floor landing he got back on his hind legs before continuing forward to open the door for the three of them.

"You didn't have to, but thanks." Sarah said to him as she passed idly running her paw along his abdomen.

"Si, gracias." Azure added with a nod to him before proving she wasn't one to be outdone when she lifted her tail such that curled around his left ribs then slid along his stomach as she walked by.

"De nada." He responded with a grin as he followed after them letting the door shut behind him as he enjoyed watching their tails.

As they were walking down the hall to their rooms what at first sounded like unintelligible notes due to being out of earshot became as they closed in on it identifiable as music, and in particular country music.

What the song had been he wasn't able to tell, but the next one that began playing as they were just at his, and Sarah's doors he recognized almost instantly.

To the John Denver classic he couldn't help singing along, the words flowing out of him emotionally.

"Almost heaven, West Virgina.

Blue Ridge mountains, Shenandoah river

Life is old there, older than the trees.

Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take my home

To the place I belong . . .

West Virginia mountain mama

Take me home, country roads . . ."

That though was all he managed before all he could do was cry sinking to the ground in a crouch. As he buried his muzzle in his paws he missed seeing the way Reed's head poked out of the open door that was the second down from his as well as the door next to his room opening, and Nick's head poking out as well.

"Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong . . ." He managed again when the refrain came around again, but it was full of all his longing, and pain.

"That _was_ You singing." He heard Reed say surprisedly as first one set of thin arms wrapped around his shoulders, and then a more muscular pair joined in.

"You totally didn't strike me as the kind of mammal who would listen to country music, Feral." Nick commented jokingly before asking him more seriously "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just hadn't heard that one since before I was in the woods, and it brought back memories." He responded to the tod before adding with a sniffle "Thank you, girls, but I _am_ okay."

When they did not let him go he repeated himself "I really _am_ okay; you can let me go. Alright?"

"You are not okay, and you know it, don't lie." Azure told him making clear she didn't buy it.

"Seriously, David, you can't just deny to us how that song got to you; not when we _heard_ it, Brother." Nick said to him, his voice full of compassion, and sympathy.

"Yeah. We _heard_ it." Sarah added bolstering Nick's argument, as she sniffled, and pressed her head against him.

"No, you haven't heard it, and I'm not vocalizing it like I did last night . . . telling you what I will, will be enough." He responded to them softly lowering his muzzle.

At that though, Sarah squeezed him tighter, and he had to tell her "Okay, let me go, you're gonna squeeze out a fart. You can hug me and cry later Hime-chan"

"How much later?" Sarah asked in response.

"Please don't fart." Azure said to him.

"Yeah, please, I don't want to smell what you ate for lunch, I saw you eat it." Nick added jokingly.

"I'm not going to, I just want to be released, and I will start getting pawsy if that's what it takes". He told them before saying "Hime, you and Nick give me like five minutes then come on into my room okay, I'll leave the door open."

"Do you not like hugs?" Azure asked him curiously.

"Ta loca. I love hugs; you two are just making it hard to breathe." He answered her as if she was being ridiculous.

"Oh." Both Azure and Sarah said as they presently released him at which he exhaled with a 'hah' before inhaling, and giving them a small smile.

"So, uh, you can sing David." Reed said to him good naturedly.

"Certain songs, sure. Other songs not so much; though don't say I can sing until you've heard my death metal delivery." He responded before shifting his voice into a growl adding "Because I can talk like this all day smoothskin . . . or would it be smooth-fur? Yeah, smooth-fur."

"Of course you can talk like that all day, diablo lobo." Azure commented with a chuckle.

"Smoothskin? Smooth-fur?" Reed asked curiously.

"It's from the game I know that is classified. There are characters who due to radiation exposure have lost all of their epithelial cells, but all their other cells regenerate though over time their minds can degenerate until they're feral, or rather what you'd call savage attacking everything that isn't one of them - they're called ghouls, and the non-feral ones due to vocal cord degradation all sound like I was just speaking." He responded in explanation adding "By non-ghouls they get called zombies, so in turn they call non-ghouls smoothskin, or as it would be here smooth-fur."

"If you can tell us that much about it, then just why is it classified?" Nick asked curiously adding "You know that kinda is bugging Rocky."

"It's classified because, well I can't tell you why, or you'll just ask more questions that I can't answer. Even if I gave you the short answer you wouldn't get it. Look, it's not my I.P., and I am not about to give someone else ideas to plagiarize." He answered as he stood back up adding "And it's bad enough I kinda already just did that explaining about ghouls."

"So I guess I shouldn't ask what you mean by 'as it would be here'?" Sarah asked him with a small grin.

"Oh, yeah. The answer to that is the most classified thing I refuse to divulge to anyone else. Not even the Doc., and I technically gave him the pieces to put two and two together not that he ever could, or would." He responded to her agreeingly.

"You refuse to divulge to anyone else?" Nick asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. The fewer who know the better." He replied without hesitation adding "I've already told it to about as many as I can reasonably trust to keep it to themselves, and believe me they know to keep it to themselves. They also know what it'd do to me if they betrayed me like that."

"What would it do?" Azure asked him as if she knew the answer, but couldn't help asking anyway.

He just looked her in the eye at that the way he had Sarah earlier, which got a rather scared mew out of her, before he said meaning each word "I would forsake all of you, and do my damndest to destroy this world. I would kill with my fangs every which way I can, until I got put down, then I'd come back from Ulfheim bringing death you cannot fathom. Because I've been hurt enough by mortals already. Our laws upholding free will, and non-interference rules be damned."

"You really would?" Sarah asked him while Azure who he was still looking at mewed scaredly again.

"Yes, and I would _revel_ in it." He responded flatly.

"Damn. That really says a lot . . . considering how adamant you were about not killing with your nature, and protecting what you can." Reed commented.

"Yeah, and I was adamant about all of that; as adamant as I will always be." He responded seriously.

"So others have hurt you." Azure said to him her muzzle full of compassion.

"Sure, by lacking openness, and understanding such that I have the trust issues I now have, but it is nothing compared to how I hurt me." He replied with a shrug.

"But if it weren't for them being like that you wouldn't have done what you did." Azure responded with a frown.

"It's not like they could help it, and I can't fault them, for being the… unaware mortals they were, and are. Maybe I wouldn't have been driven to make the choice I did, but the choice has been made, and there is no turning back." He told her unable to hide his dourness in thinking about it.

Before he knew it Azure had wrapped her arms around him again, and emotionally she said to him "I will pray for you roto angelo de lobos."

"Well, I can't stop you from doing what you want, and I thank you for the sentiment pero linda gatita even if someone listened to you, and truly hearkened to your prayer there's not a thing they could, or would do. Non-interference rules remember; I am on my own behind these enemy lines same as I always am." He told her returning the embrace adding "It is enough for me that in my new family I seem to so far have found people _I can trust_ where I trusted no one before."

"Behind enemy lines?" Nick asked him curiously.

"Figure of speech, Brother, but it is true. You might not be my enemy, but that does not go for everyone on this planet." He responded as Azure let him go, and he in turn released her.

"How do you do that?" Azure asked him clarifying "Say such hopeless things then say something as if you have not lost hope?"

"Because no matter how dark the night the stars still shine, and they shine all the brighter the darker the night. Also even if I trully lost what shreds of hope I have left, I cannot help but carry on." He answered her with a shrug.

"What are you made of?" Sarah asked him curiously with a hint of awe.

His response was simply another shrug before he told her "I wish I knew."

On that note which none of them seemed to know what to add to Reed, and Nick went back into their rooms while Azure walked to hers as did Sarah. Walking into his room with a sigh he heard Sarah shutting her door behind him just before he shut his.

His first order of business was to deposit his dirty clothes in a pile to which he added the shorts he stripped out of. From there he went over to his duffle for a clean pair of boxers, and after they were on his phone where he'd left it.

Sitting on his bed, and pressing the hold button then swiping to unlock it he checked his notifications. There were a couple texts from Lorelei, and Evie as well as Kiera, Mike, and Erika each of them wishing him luck, and wanting to know how his first day had gone which he wanted to respond to later.

The first thing he did on his phone was, before he forgot, open up the Zootube app and look for VeritasNikeComics who he subbed to from the results page. He then looked at the messages Dusk had sent him, and he knew it was Dusk given the videos he'd sent; just from the screenshots he knew full well which moments Erika had captured, and he couldn't help grinning to himself. After putting Dusk's contact info into his phone, he made sure the videos were properly saved to the thirty-two gigabyte SD card he'd bought to expand his phones memory.

From there he opened up the MuzzleBook app, and after thumbing through his feed seeing what his small list of friends had posted he updated his status as ' _Waiting for Hime, and Kolya so I can get story time done. Day one of this six month journey is officially done, and my nickname is officially Feral; it fits like it was made for me, and I like it way better than Blue._ '

After he posted it, he logged out of the app then stretched out with a yawn, and waited. It wasn't that much longer that there was a knock at his door before it opened, and Sarah stepped in followed by Nick.

"Alright, first things first." He said to them with a grin before patting his bed on each side of him, and telling them "Come get comfy."

As they did so Sarah a bit more readily than Nick with her sitting to his left, and him to his right he told them "Before I tell you about _her_ I was thinking it'd be better to start with the vids Dusk sent me that Erika has taken; I still need to get him to tell me how he got them, but anyway..."

"Okay." Sarah said enthusiastically.

" _Her_?" Nick inquired repeating it the almost dispassionate way he'd said it.

"If I say her name, or start thinking about her now; I will start crying, and you won't get anything out of me. I want to save that for the end, okay?" He responded to Nick so he understood before opening up the storage on his phone, and pulling up the first video.

When Sarah leaned into him putting her head against his shoulder so she could see better as he held his phone so they could all see he reflexively looked over to her, but didn't say anything not minding her getting so close. Nick on the other paw repositioned himself, but maintained a more neutral distance.

Pressing the play button he for the first time got to see the moment Erika had captured from a perspective alternate to that of his memory. It started with a shot of him wiping down one of the cafe's tables.

' _Okay._ ' Erika's voice whispered, and he could tell from the angle that she'd been standing just out of his sight, but where she had a good view ' _Luna's about to get here; this is going to be so cute_ '

Shortly after she'd spoken there was the sound of the bell from the door opening, and as he looked up in the recording it panned to the cafe's entrance where an arctic she-wolf Sarah's size was holding the door open, and a grey fox tod kit came running in ahead of her.

' _Davey_.' Jericho called out as he ran, and the camera panned following him to where he'd already gotten on one knee with his arms wide open.

' _Hey, little buddy_ ' He greeted the young tod as he leapt up into his arms, nuzzling Jericho as he wrapped his arms around him the kit nearly disappearing in his engulfing embrace Jericho's bushy tail wagging with evident joy.

' _Never ceases to amaze me._ ' Erika whispered.

Then as if on cue Mike walked out from behind the counter where he was, and greeted the young tod ' _Hey there Jericho, how are you doing today?_ '

Jericho's reaction was as if someone had flipped a switch as his wagging tail sank, and he turned around within his arms, his ears folded back as he answered Mike ' _H-h… H-h-hello M-m-mister P-pine. I'm d-doing g-g-good._ '

"Who hurt him?" Nick asked with it clear in his voice the compassion he felt for the young tod.

At that he paused the video which was nearly over so he could explain to them Jericho's story albeit briefly.

"His mom died giving birth to him, and so his grandfather took him in. His grandfather cared for him, probably seeing his daughter in little Jericho, and made sure he knew love. Until a year ago when his grandfather had a heart attack that killed him, and because his dad finally entered the picture, he went with him. His dad though was a drunk, and abusive; he is the one who hurt Jericho, and is now in jail for it where he's gonna stay a good long while. Thanks to his father Jericho has become afraid of males especially the ones larger than him, and when talking to them as you saw he stutters pretty bad." He told them before pausing then saying "Now I didn't know any of that. You're not quite going to understand my putting it this way, but nothing makes me happier than puppies, and kittens; so when Luna who is fostering him, and going through the process of adopting him walked in with him all I saw was a kit, and I wanted to make friends. When I greeted him, getting down on one knee so we could look each other in the eye easier, I think he was too surprised by my eye color to stutter 'cause the first thing he said to me was that they were blue like his grandfather's, yet not due to the yellow, and he found my central heterochromia rather intriguing. After I explained to him about heterochromia, he asked me if I would give him a hug, so I just opened my arms, and ..."

With his eyes tearing, and his emotion welling in his voice he said to them "I will never forget what he said to me as I wrapped my arms around him. You give hugs just like my papa. I am safe with you he told me, and so I told him that of course he was safe with me, and that he gives good hugs too. Then Mike tried to greet him, and Jericho did his best to hide in my arms, before managing to get out a hello; the very first word he'd actually spoken to Mike I found out later. When I asked Jericho about his papa thinking he'd meant his dad, he was so adamant about his grandfather being his papa, his real dad, it took even Luna by surprise. At that I couldn't help telling him how I knew my grandfather as papa too, and grew up with him as my father figure not meeting my dad till I was full grown. Since then, well, you've seen how he is with me, and I've done my best to get him at least comfortable enough with Mike to have a conversation the fruits of which you've heard for yourselves though since this video was taken Jericho has improved quite a bit more."

"David..." Sarah said with a sniffle as she hugged him while Nick just put his paw on his arm.

"When you say you have love for all canines, and felines you aren't exaggerating at all are you?" Nick asked him as he withdrew his paw.

He was about to respond when his phone began ringing with the lyrics ' _What's love got to do, got to do with it? What's love but a second paw emotion. What's love got to do, got to do with it? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?_ ' telling him as readily as the caller I.D. that Lorelei was calling him. Once the verse had finished, before it could repeat he swiped the ignore call button.

"Give me a sec." He said to them once the call was canceled, and he got into his text messages to tell Lorelei ' _I will call you back, you interrupted story time with Hime, and Kolya._ '

"I'm Kolya, huh? Not gonna tell her it's me?" Nick asked a little amusedly.

"To answer your first question, it is not that I have love, it is that I _do_ love all canidae, and felidae; how could I not? Also yes, I want it to be a surprise for her on our graduation day in six months - that we've met, and that where there was going to just be me as the family cop now there's two." He answered the tod.

"I don't know why you think we wouldn't get you saying nothing makes you happier than pups, and kits; it makes perfect sense to me given the father you were." Sarah said to him.

"You're so sure we'll graduate? Not that I have any intention of washing out." Nick responded clearly simply curious as to the source of his surety on that account before adding surprisedly "Father?"

"You've already misunderstood Sarah, and don't get ahead of yourself." He told her before answering Nick "Yes, I was a father, just not in the traditional sense."

He then told them "When I say puppies I mean all canid young, and when I say kittens I mean all felid young because those're the words I grew up with. Kids for example aren't just goat young, but children in general, and children as well as it's root child means young as well; it's taken me some getting used to, getting down the different words each species uses. Let me show you this other video then I'll get into why I look forward to Ulfheim so much."

With that he swiped, and tapped at his phone getting to the other video Dusk had sent him which was shorter, and this time Nick got nearly as close to him to watch it as Sarah was.

It started with him having just taken the order for tea from Carol who was Laura's cousin, and crouched down next to the stroller with Carol's eighteen month old daughter Anna. It amused him that it had been quiet enough in the cafe that Erika's phone had picked up his 'baby-talking' to the little cub as he rubbed the top of her head, and lightly scratched behind her ears with his tail wagging like a happy flag. Then when he stood up to walk away, and fix Carol her tea, Anna mewed loudly not wanting the attention to end, and struggling against her restraints in her stroller, mewed again in frustration when she couldn't get free. His response now recorded for posterity had been to turn around, and give Anna a full meow before telling her that he'd be right back. Erika had managed to catch the identical, and adorable looks on both Carol, and Anna's muzzles as he walked way at which he couldn't help chuckling. Then he got to see what he'd only heard before since his back was turned, with Anna mewing at him again, and resuming her fruitless struggle; watching her he couldn't help thinking that if she had just thought to use her claws she could've gotten free.

Erika had continued recording catching the full audio of him making Carol's tea before he re-entered the frame carrying the tiger sized mug of chai to their table, and Anna seeing him heading back towards her had reached out to him with both paws mewing again. When he'd mewed back at her as he approached she'd looked at him again with confusion that was momentary before she mewed again. After he'd set down Carol's drink, he'd crouched down again to give Anna the attention she wanted, and he could hear in the recording her happy purr as soon as his paw made contact with her. When he'd paused his petting her head to ask Carol if he could hold her Anna had nipped him as if to say 'I didn't tell you to stop' at which he reflexively resumed the affection rubbing her left ear, and getting another happy purr out of her. When Carol had told him that he could he'd barely undid the safety belt keeping Anna in place so he could pick her up before Anna of her own volition had leapt around his neck.

' _You must be really good with cubs, she only gets like that with her dad when he comes home from work; I bet you'd make a good father._ ' Carol had complimented him as he wrapped his arms around Anna, and she let go of his neck letting him cradle her.

' _I was a father, a lifetime ago now._ ' He'd responded as he gently nuzzled Anna getting another happy purr.

The video ended on that note with Erika's matronly whine, that he hadn't heard her make that day.

"You really weren't kidding when you said you're a cub at heart, and no wonder cubs seem to just love you; Instructor Dusk was right, the kind of father you were really shows through in these videos" Sarah said to him.

"So when you say _her_ , you mean your daughter?" Nick asked before again resting his paw on his right arm, and saying "I am sorry for you David, I can't imagine just how much that hurts."

"Her name is, was, Sophie, Sophie Ann, and she was _my sweet daughter._ In much the same way Lorelei, and Evalyn took me, a stray, in my mom and I took her in this little leucistic vixen with such warm light brown eyes like buttery caramel. She wasn't the only one though, after Sophie there was my son, who was a bit of a blockhead, and a dick, but he was _my boy_ , and then my other daughter . . . _my little, little one. I can't remember their names, but their muzzles I can still see clearly in my memory._ " He said to them unable to not start crying as he told them "Of all those I've now lost, it's them I miss most, and that I can't remember my son's, or youngest daughter's names hurts me more than I can say."

"You can't remember?" Nick asked tentatively as he rested his left paw comfortingly on his shoulder, in about as much of a one armed hug as the tod could manage given their size difference.

"As I've already told Azure, and Sarah here, about a month ago I woke up in the Tundra Town woods naked, alone, and only remembering my given name. I am an amnesiac. I didn't even know I could speak, until Evalyn started talking to me when we met just passed the edge of the woods. My first word was 'Absurd' which was my answer to her question of whether, or not I'd eat her, since I was on all fours, and this Savage mammal bullshit was still in full swing at least until that night when the news reported that, that Mayor Bowlwater was the culprit."

"Bellweather." Nick corrected him saying "Thanks to a little fox cunning with blueberries, a carrot pen recorder, and a good bit of acting from the bunny doe who is the reason I'm even here at all we got her to confess."

"Oh? So you had a paw in that? Sounds to me like you're in the right place here." He said to Nick with a grin.

"Wait, so you're the upstanding citizen who didn't want to be named, that helped Officer Hopps?" Sarah asked surprisedly, but enthusiastically

"I hope so, David, and Sarah I didn't want to be named because who would believe a fox did anything to help this city? Besides I wouldn't want recognition for it anyway, let that go to someone else." Nick responded to them.

"I believe it." Sarah said adding "Who would've suspected that an ewe would be such a twisted conniving cunt, but sure enough Bellweather proved to be quite the cunt."

"You're sounding like me brother, and there you go not only showing your true colors, you prove my point about all canidae, foxes included, being just as noble as is said of wolves." He said to the tod, even more resolute in his view of him as not a cousin, but a brother.

They continued talking a few minutes more before Nick and Sarah who promised they'd keep his fatherhood a secret, went back to their rooms. Sitting back down on his bed he looked at his phone, and bringing up his contacts called Lorelei.

' _You ignored my call, that's a first._ " Lorelei said as soon as she answered.

"I was talking to my neighbors, the guy next door, and the girl across from me." He responded adding "Hime, kinda guessed from things I'd said that I was a father, and Kolya my new brother earned his hearing my telling."

' _Really? Well you sure make friends fast_.' Lorelei commented saying to him ' _So how'd this Kolya become your brother so fast?_ '

"Of course I make friends, I am a friendly wolf" He told her unable to not grin which she no doubt heard in his voice adding "He just did, because he is a good mammal. He was also the second mammal to show up at the front gate."

He then added "It'll interest you that our chief drill instructor is in the habit of giving out nicknames to the first mammals who show up. She was calling me Blue until I earned a better one, I am officially Feral, you can imagine why."

' _I can, and that does fit you_.' Lorelei said with a giggle.

"I wasn't done. Kolya she decided to call Stick, but now because of me he's simply Wild. Hime, she calls Tiny, but for me she's Chibi-Hime Koneko-nyan. Then there's Maverick my running buddy, and _my Rocky_ who really does look like Rocky from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and finally there's Azure who is too pretty for me to call anything other than Azure the Alluring, and Frost who as a fellow Metal Gear fan, and psychic vampire has set herself as my rival. She can out civil me, but she cannot out feral me."

' _Sounds like you've had quite the day_.' Lorelei commented.

"Well we're certainly off to an interesting start, and if I play my cards right I'm not going to starve for chi like I planned on." He responded.

' _Oh?_ ' Lorelei asked.

"Yeah, Hime and Azure decided to bathe with me after I'd bathed Maverick, and get a little pawsy. Plus I'm pretty sure the male tiger whose name I don't know is gay, so I'll probably get to say I've deepthroated a tiger; fun. As far as fraternization rules go, if we can hide it with Scent-Away no one will care."

' _Okay then, so you have options_.' Lorelei commented with a chuckle before asking him ' _So, what're everyone's real names?_ '

"You want a better idea of whose around me? Well, Hime is Sarah a cheetah, as is Maverick whose name is Thom. Frost is a snow leopardess like Laura only sexier. Azure is a melanistic jaguaress whose full name is Azure Cenote. Rocky is Eric a coywolf, and last, but not least though he is the smallest Kolya is a fox." He said to her understanding what she wanted to know.

' _So this Kolya is a Russian fox? That's certainly a first, just like that Hopps bunny_.' Lorelei asked him curiously.

"European fox actually, and as a matter of fact that very same bunny is the reason he's here, much like how I wouldn't be here without you" He answered her, grateful she couldn't see the way he was grinning which would've gotten her more pointedly questioning him.

' _Hey, is that David?_ ' He heard Evalyn ask in the background.

"Yeah, it's me." He answered her reflexively.

' _Hey, David._ ' Evalyn said to him before telling her mom a little accusingly ' _Were you just gonna talk to him, and not tell me since I was in the shower?_ '

' _No, I was going to tell him to stay on the line if we were done, since you were in the shower._ ' Lorelei answered her daughter.

' _Oh, okay._ ' Evalyn responded mollified before telling him ' _I miss you already, our apartment feels empty._ '

"I'm not gonna lie Evie, I miss you, and your mom too, especially now that I'm about to go to sleep. I'm too used to the two of you next to me." He told her.

' _You could always convince your new brother Kolya to bunk with you._ ' Lorelei suggested.

"Heh, no. I don't think he'd go for that; I sorta have been teasing him all day with the truth that he is a sexy mammal, and he's made it clear he's not into males like I am. Sarah on the other hand . . . pretty sure she'd say yes, and ask me why I didn't ask sooner." He responded with an amused chuckle.

' _Sarah?_ ' Evie asked her voice sounding much closer.

"Yeah, a cheetah Luna's size. I'm pretty sure I've earned a playable sympathy card with her, but you know me I'm not going to use it." He said to her.

' _How about Azure? The Alluring? Her name is pretty by the way . . . Cenote'_ Lorelei inquired somewhat teasingly.

"No, and I did kinda tell her, and Sarah both, that I'm not about to just try and get in their pants anytime soon even if they lift their tails. We did make a bit of a deal though, they let me bathe them, and I give them full body massages, and I can feed on them if I want." He responded adding "I don't know what lucky stars I'm under, but I hope they don't shift.

' _Azure the Alluring? She have a knack for magic tricks, or what?'_ Evalyn asked.

"No, she's just that beautiful, and sexy. It's the best word to describe such a lovely big black kitty.' He answered her.

' _Should we be jealous? I kinda feel a little jealous already._ ' Evalyn responded.

"Now, you know better than that Evie. Afterall I trust you, and your mom with everything that I've just been telling everyone else is classified for my safety and theirs. And you are worthy of that trust. No one is going to take that from you." He told her seriously with a frown he hoped she could hear.

' _How are you so good at knowing just what to say? I'd ask if you're tongue is made of silver, but I'm well aware it's made of gold._ ' Lorelei asked him.

"I'm really not though Lorelei, and ask if it was made of silver is what Azure did." He answered her with a light laugh.

' _So you've been flirting up a storm with her, huh?_ ' Evalyn asked, and he could just picture her expression raised eyebrow and all.

"Like I said to her, how else am I supposed to convey that I find her attractive. Her, and Frost are the two hottest females here, though Frost is out of my league." He replied before saying "Alright, my lovely vixens, I should head to bed, probably gonna get woken up before the sun by a polar bear who would enjoy dragging my tail out of bed."

' _Alright David good night, I hope you sleep well._ ' Lorelei said to him.

' _Good night David, and when you jerk off before you do go to sleep, think about me._ ' Evalyn told him.

"I make no promises, I'm tired enough I may not need to." He responded adding "Good night, and I'll keep you two in the loop.

With that they hung up, and after getting his charger plugged in as well as his phone hooked up to it he got in bed where he in no time at all drifted off.

* * *

\- - - Post Chapter Bonus Content - Dr. Rockwell's Notes for Day One - - -

[Namely: "So this 'Maverick', you've nicknamed him I assume, you see him as your brother?", and "You reacted accordingly?"]

[ _Dusk's giving him the same official base lethality? Will have to ask him what he knows. Admits to being a killer on par with Dusk - is he making the comparisson to deflate the connotation of his admission? Will have to inquire details carefully._ ]

[ _Highly Unusual for a wolf, species prone to monogamy, promiscuity suggests traumatic cubhood? Plays into 'deviant' bi/pan-sexuality?_.]

[ _Not raised by felines which would explain a lot of his non-normative for a canine attitudes, and behavior if he were; plenty of wolves spend a lot of time with felines, even mate-bond with them, being able to mew like them though . . . I didn't even know a wolf could make that sound, let alone so accurately, and he's an adult male on top of that - need video recording of him doing it, and secondary as well as tertiary opinions_ ]

[ _Refers to memories before 'incident?' with Star Wars opener 'A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away'. Suggestive of dissociation from trauma of 'incident?'. Possible, other signs of dissociative behavior?_.]

[ _Interesting, thoughts of losing his malehood bother him . . . he is particular about his parts._ ]

[ _Will definitely discuss with Dusk, perhaps over a drink, and a shower . . . he cut it out he says, like that's that . . . only to go unclaimed? He's devastated, and coping, but how? The power of his soul? As a demon? . . . Not malevolent, but benevolent, common belief a-la monotheism is total fiction; living proof that can't prove it . . . no wonder he speaks of Truth being the Truth despite non-belief . . ._ ]

[ _I can see how he raised an immediate red flag for Dusk; mammals get themselves killed by simply not having the same will to live a normal mammal does, with that sort of outlook - that may turn out to be a legitimate concern, but I don't think so . . ._ ]

[" _You want to know my secret? I'm always depressed." - would be his version of the line in The Avengers. High-functioning natural depressive?_ ]

[ _He's probably had at least an introduction to psychology, in high-school perhaps, which is why he is putting things the way he is. Telling of his innate intelligence, and fortitude that he was only a cub, and knew better than to try to repress, or ignore his Shadow; but embracing it? Internalizing it as not a part of himself, but the core of himself? Because he felt emotionally isolated, and it seemed the proper way? He is touchy about his past, classified means 'Fuck no I won't tell you', but at the same time he's willing to speak so freely. Will have to tread carefully._ ]

[ _So the abuse he suffered, he did so as an adult, that is both intriguing in it's own right given his natural alpha-hood, and telling in ways; it is still recent with him, will want to explore further starting off next session perhaps lead in with where we've left off, his trust issues. I can certainly see where he's coming from on that. His resilience, and fortitude is amazing; he's seen some of the worst of mammal-kind - Tallow Factory the tip of iceberg he says - and ultimately he wants to protect, and foster the best of mammal-kind such as he is able within the same limits we all face. Why a benevolent demon of all creatures would decide to actually incarnate amongst mortals? To live by example, and observe? There is a parallel in his looking forward to death, but desire to live life to the fullest . . . if it weren't for Dusk the martial artist he is showing me first paw how chi is very much real despite any adequate way to quantify it, would I have still believed so much of what he's told me? Given his 'give me your paw' demonstration? Probably, but hard to say for sure . . . He really is in the Outer Rim, but still in the Known Galaxy, and it's a lot to process; heh, there I go paraphrasing Star Wars like he was, but that is a damn good way to put it.]_


End file.
